The Malay tailless kite is probably the most practical kind ever invented. It will fly in a wind that the tail variety could not withstand, and it will fly in a breeze too light to carry up most other forms of kites. It is also a strong pulling kite, and can be used for sending aloft lanterns and flags. For the purpose of lifting, the pulling strength can be doubled by flying two Malays in tandem. Fig. 17. —A Malay Tailless Kite. How to Make a Malay. Figure 17 shows a Malay kite in flight, Fig.

Model aeronautics has become nearly as popular as kite flying, and girls as well as boys have taken to building these unique air toys. The model aeroplane requires more work than ordinary kite construction. It also requires more patience and greater accuracy, because each part of the little aircraft must be made just so, assembled just so, and "tuned-up" just so, to produce a model which will give a good account of itself. Of course your first model will probably not be perfect. But if you do yo

The toy motor-boat shown in Figs. 48 and 49 is propelled by a tin propeller run by a rubber-band motor. A handful of rubber-bands will cost only a few cents, and the rest of the working material can be picked up at home. Fig. 49. —The Completed Motor-boat. Fig. 50. —Stern, with Motor in Place. Prepare the Bottom of the Hull out of a piece of wood 1 inch thick, making it of the shape and dimensions shown in Fig. 51 . Be careful to curve the side edges the same. Use a saw for cutting out the piece

You can own a water-motor like the one shown in Fig. 61 , because its construction requires nothing but easily obtained materials. Fig. 61. —A Varnish-can Water-motor in Operation. The Case of this water-motor is made of an empty varnish can—preferably one of gallon capacity. Nothing better could be desired. The tin can makes a lightweight compact case; the spout in the top is in just the right place and of the right size to receive the water power from a faucet; and as the water connections can

Fig. 75. —Upright. It is often thought that a toy railway is beyond a boy's ingenuity to construct, whereas, in reality, it is one of the simplest toys he can make. This applies to the tracks, stations, and cars of every description, all of which can be made with a few strips of wood, some spools, nails, cardboard, and a bottle of glue, for materials. If you have passed the age of caring for such toys as this, you will, no doubt, enjoy the making of one for your younger brother, or for one of yo

The elevator shown in Fig. 96 is a unique mechanical toy well worth one's making. Release the little car at the top floor, and it will descend to the ground floor, and then return to the starting point, without you having to touch it a second time. A magical elevator? Perhaps so. A little mechanical device performs the trick. The same plan may be followed for installing the doll-house elevator in Chapter XIII, but the more stories there are the more fun there is in operating the elevator. This i

Those of you boys who have examined the little mechanical toys sold upon the street corners just before Christmas probably have been surprised to find how simply they are made, and perhaps it has never occurred to you that you might make toys equally as good for presents for your younger brothers, sisters, or cousins. Most of the smaller mechanical toys are not only easy to make, but they require materials which cost little and can usually be picked up at home. Sometimes it takes considerable th

There are many styles of tops, probably more than you ever dreamed of, and it will surprise you to hear that the owners of some of the most curious forms are bearded men who take as much delight as any girl or boy in spinning them. A few years ago on Murray Island, which is way down among the South Sea Islands, top spinning took such a strong hold upon the attention of the natives that they neglected their work, and families often were without food, boys and girls having to go to school hungry.

The toys shown opposite page 90 are a few of the many mechanical toys which can be operated by clockwork, and they are easy to make, too, requiring no more mechanical ability than is possessed by the average boy old enough to handle the simplest of tools. Generally it is easy to find an old clock somewhere about the house, and a clock which has been discarded simply because it has become worthless as a timekeeper is perfectly good for operating these toys, provided the mainspring is in working o

An entire volume might be filled with plans for electrical toys and yet not exhaust the innumerable forms that are within the ability of a boy to construct. There is room in this chapter for only a few, and I have selected simple ideas, those that can be carried out by a boy having no knowledge of working with electricity, with materials that can be obtained at an expenditure of little or nothing. Thus every boy will be able to make these electrical toys. The Electro-magnet Derrick shown in Fig.

Fig. 212. —The Completed Toy Shooting Gallery. This interesting toy, with its funny animal targets, and a harmless pistol with which to shoot at them, will provide an endless amount of fun for a winter's evening or stormy afternoon. Figure 212 shows the completed toy, and Fig. 213 the box that forms The Framework. The targets can be arranged to suit the form of box that you find, and the number may be increased or decreased to suit the space. Fig. 213. —The Box Framework. The right position for

There is nothing more interesting to build than a doll-house, and the construction is within the ability of the average girl. If brother is willing to lend a hand with the carpenter work so much the better. Sister can attend to the finishing and furnishing, which are important parts of the work that she can do more handily than a boy can. But there is no reason why either a girl or boy cannot undertake a doll-house like that shown in Figs. 220 and 221 , and carry the work to a successful complet

With the carpenter work of a doll-house completed, the finishing of the inside,—wall papering and painting,—and selecting of furnishings for the various rooms, remain to be done. This requires as much care as the building of the house, and while any boy can do the work, the help of a sister will perhaps simplify matters and give to the rooms a daintier appearance. The Walls and Ceiling of the kitchen and bath-room should be painted with white lead or white enamel. For the other rooms select pape

Fig. 238. —Exterior of Stable. The stable illustrated in Figs. 238 and 239 is designed in keeping with the doll-house in Chapter XIII. It is shown in the background of the photograph of this doll-house ( Fig. 220 ). If you prefer a garage instead of this stable, you may omit the stalls, and make one or two large windows in the rear wall in place of the small high windows shown. The building's construction is very simple. The dimensions are: width, twenty-four inches; depth, twelve inches; and he

The doll apartment building in this chapter is a new idea in doll-houses. By the illustrations you will see that the apartment building is three stories high, and consists of three units—each one story high—and a roof. During playtime the units are arranged side by side upon the floor so as to form a six-room apartment ( Fig. 244 ); and afterward they are piled up one upon another as shown in Fig. 243 , and the roof placed on top, in a compact form that takes up but little floor space. Building

The metal furniture which you can buy is very pretty when it is new, but this new appearance does not last long after it has come into a youngster's possession, for the pieces are very slender and delicate, and thus easily broken. Wooden furniture is the most durable kind, and plain and simple pieces will generally outlast the fancy ones. The designs illustrated in this chapter make very substantial pieces, as there are no spindle legs or fancy arms to break off. They follow the lines of the mis

Cigar-boxes are splendid material for a variety of home-made toys. In this chapter are shown some easily constructed wagons, a Jack-in-the-box, a cradle, and several tables and chairs of a different pattern from the doll furniture for which working drawings were given in the preceding chapter. Get an assortment of shapes and sizes of boxes at a cigar store, and prepare them for use as directed on page 175 . Use 3 / 8 inch and ½ inch brads, and glue, for fastening the pieces together. A scroll-sa

Fig. 299. —Doll Carriage. All that is required for making the little toys shown in this chapter are spools, cardboard, paper, a straight-grained stick out of which to cut pegs, some tacks, pins, and glue. Did you ever see a better model of A Baby Carriage than that shown in Fig. 299 , with its rounded ends, arched bottom, and adjustable hood? It is easy to make. Figure 300 shows the details for constructing the carriage body. Cut four wooden pegs to fit loosely in the holes of four spools of equ

Who wants to play at being Uncle Sam, and have a postal system right in the house, or out on the front porch where it will be convenient for the children next door to enjoy it, too? Every small boy and girl loves to play postman, collect mail from the toy mail-box, cancel the stamps, sort out the letters into the proper routes, and then deliver them to those whom they are addressed to. The mail-box shown in Figs. 325 and 326 is easily made, and with The Working Material on hand can be completed

Fig. 339. —The Complete Reflectoscope. Fig. 340. —Detail of Ventilator Top. This reflecting lantern, shown completed in Fig. 339 , is more magical in its operation than a magic-lantern is, because, instead of projecting through transparent slides, it reflects opaque pictures. That makes it possible to use magazine and newspaper pictures, post cards, and photograph prints. You may reflect a greatly enlarged picture of the movements of your watch, and by placing your face against the opening in th