The game of Tit-Tat-To is played on a figure, similar to the annexed, made on an ordinary slate. The players alternately mark in the figure—the one a cross, and the other a nought; he who first obtains a row either horizontally, perpendicularly, or diagonally wins the game, and calls "the three jolly butchers, all of a row." The object of each of the players is equally to obtain such a row, and to prevent his opponent from obtaining one.
SPILLIKINS OR SPELICANS.
The game of Spelicans is similar to that of "Jerk-Straws." The spelicans are a number of thin pieces of ivory or bone, cut into odd and various shapes—some like saws, some like spears, some like hooks, &c. Each spelican is inscribed with a number, the lowest being 5 and the highest 40. The spelicans are taken up in the hand of any one of the players, except by him who plays first, and dropped upon the table in a heap; the other player or players, as the case may be, then alternately endeavour to remove a spelican from the heap either with the fingers, or by the aid of two small hooks provided for the purpose, without in the slightest degree disturbing any other spelican. At the end of the game each player adds up the numbers marked on the spelicans he has captured, and he who can show the highest number wins. Sometimes, instead of each player alternately trying to remove one spelican, it is allowed for one player to continue removing spelicans one by one until more than one spelican is disturbed in the same try, when the play passes as before.
SQUAILS.
In some places the game of Squails bears the name of Trails. It is an amusing round game, which can be played on any ordinary table by two or more players of an even number—not, however, exceeding eight. Each player is furnished with an equal number of coloured wooden pieces or discs, which are called squails, and these the player has to place at the edge of the table, half over the edge, and strike them with the open palm of the hand towards a small medal placed in the centre.
Squails.
The players should be divided into sides, and one from each side should alternately strike a squail towards the medal. An imaginary circle should be drawn round the central medal, into which, if it is knocked out during the play, it must be replaced. The object of the game is to secure for one's own side the largest number of squails near to the central medal, and to obtain that it is legitimate not only to shove one's own squail towards the centre, but also to knock an opponent's squail away or a partner's squail near to the medal.
The game of Squails, for a year or two after its introduction, seemed in a fair way to rank among the most popular round table games, but it soon died out and is now but little played. It deserves, however, much more notice than it usually receives, and we would recommend it as a great improvement on most of the elaborate toy games that are patronised so extensively. A set of squails costs but a trifling sum.