KITE 



3265 



KITTIWAKE 



two feet, four inches, for the spine; and one, 

 three feet, three inches, for the extended arms. 

 From a light, flexible stick or a piece of rattan 

 a circle seven inches in diameter is formed for 

 the head, and this is fastened to one end of 



THE BOY KITE 

 Framework and covering 1 are shown. 



the spine. Three inches below the circle is 

 tacked the arm stick, with an equal stretch on 

 each side, and to this, six inches from the 

 spine, are fastened the leg sticks. These are 

 crossed so that they are about three feet apart 

 at the "foot" end, and are carefully wrapped 

 where they meet the spine. Little crosspieces 

 should next be fastened to the ends of the arm 

 and leg sticks, and if the maker cares to take 

 so much trouble he may fashion roughly hands 

 and feet of the same material as the head. 



The frame is then ready, and strings are 

 stretched around it as indicated by the dotted 

 lines in the illustration. Next, lay this frame- 

 work on a large sheet of paper and cut around 



GIRL KITE 

 Framework and covering are shown. 



it, allowing a margin of a half-inch or more 

 for pasting. In making the curve of the head 

 it will be necessary to slit the edge of the paper 

 to keep it from wrinkling. A bridle of string 

 must be formed, following the lines of the leg 

 205 



sticks; to this the long string for flying may 

 be attached about where the leg sticks cross 

 the spine. 



Kites of Other Lands. Fond as the Ameri- 

 can boy is of his kite, it does not mean as 

 much to him as it does to the Chinese or 

 Japanese, who has fewer toys. But in these 

 Oriental countries it is not only the children 

 but the adults who make and fly kites, and 

 very elaborate are some of the forms. There 

 are birds and butterflies, fish and dragons, and 

 some of them are made of the thinnest, glos- 

 siest silk. The Chinese boy sometimes has 

 three or four kites attached to one string, and 

 becomes quite an adept at keeping them un- 

 tangled. For kite-battles the Chinese boy 

 makes for himself a simple, perfectly-square 

 kite of tough tissue paper and two bamboo 

 strips, and with this he attempts to entangle 

 or destroy his playmates' kites. A.MC c. 



KITE, a bird of prey belonging to the falcon 

 family, but inferior to true falcon in having 

 a much weaker bill and talons. The kites are 

 distinguished by having long, pointed wings 

 and forked tails. They are remarkable for 

 their gracefulness 

 of motion and 

 for their ability 

 to sail or glide for 

 long distances, 

 because of which 

 characteristic the 

 name was given 

 to the toy kite. 

 The common 

 European kite, 

 or glebe, is found 

 in almost all 

 parts of Europe, 

 Asia and the 

 north of Africa. 

 In America there 

 are four species, 

 the Everglades, the Mississippi, the white- 

 tailed and the swallow-tailed. The last-named 

 is the largest and handsomest of the group, 

 measuring four feet or more across the wings, 

 with white head, neck and under parts, and the 

 remaining upper parts, wings and tail a lustrous 

 black. See FALCON. 



KITTIWAKE, kit'iwaik, a bird belonging 

 to the gull family, which takes its name from 

 its plaintive cry. Like other gulls it feeds 

 chiefly on fish, and delights in soaring over the 

 waves of the sea. Kitti wakes are found in 

 great numbers in the Arctic regions of Europe 



THE KITE 



