The Lively Donkey.
The Lively Donkey.—On stout paper or cardboard draw upon a large scale the illustration. Divide the drawing into three parts by cutting out the circle. You may now pin the parts upon the wall in such attitudes as are shown in the smaller illustration, or if you cut out many donkeys you may have all these attitudes and more.
Camera Obscura.
A Camera Obscura.—Obtain an oblong box, about two feet long, twelve inches wide, and eight high. In one end of this a tube must be fitted containing a lens. It must be possible to slide the tube backwards and forwards so as to obtain the focus. Inside the box should be a plain mirror reclining backwards from the tube at an angle of forty-five degrees. See A B in the Figure. At the top of the box at C is a square of frosted glass or a piece of tissue paper, upon which from beneath the picture will be thrown, and may be seen by raising the lid D. To use the camera place the tube with the lens in it opposite the object or scene, and having adjusted the focus, the image will be thrown upon the ground-glass or tissue paper.
Jig Saw Puzzle.—This old form of toy has been revived lately. It is easily made. Glue upon a thin piece of wood a picture, a coloured one is best. Then with a fret saw cut picture and board into all manner of wild shapes, shake them into disorder and then try to put them back again into their proper position. Jig saw is a piece of American slang for fret saw.
The Wonderful Chicken.
The Wonderful Chicken.—With the help of the diagram it will not be difficult to construct a chicken that will move its head and tail in a comic manner. A B C D is a box that acts as a base and conceals the pendulum. It will need to have a slit in the top for the strings which hold the pendulum. The chicken is of wood and its body has two sides. One side has been removed so that the mechanism may be seen, but when the chicken is complete the mechanism is hidden. It will be seen that the head and tail are attached to the body with nails, but in such a way that they are not rigid but will move up and down. E is a pendulum of lead or other heavy material, and as it swings to and fro the strings cause the head and tail to bob up and down alternately. Other moving figures may be made upon the same principle. Longer strings, and a longer box to accommodate them, give slower and more lasting movements.
