ELECTRIC PLAYTHINGS. 



281 



MAGIC FISH. 



An ingenious physicist, M. de. Combettes, who is a civil engineer at Paris,, 

 has devoted himself to constructing a number of playthings and scientific 

 appliances for young people, among which we will describe the very curious 

 one represented in fig. 279. Ajar is filled with water, holding in suspen- 

 sion some fish made of tin, similar to those which children put in water 

 and attract with a magnet. In this case, however, the mechanism is hidden, 

 and the operator can turn the fish first in one direction and then in the 

 other at pleasure. The secret of this experiment is easily explained by 

 examining the illustration (fig. 279). In the wooden stand which supports 



Fig. 280. 

 An electric toy. 



Fi(?. 279. Experiment of magic fish set in motion by electricity. 



the jar there is concealed a small electro-magnet which acts on the soft 

 iron contained in the floating fish. When the current passes the small 

 magnet turns round and attracts the little fish swimming in the water. 

 This gyratory movement can be changed at pleasure by means of a regulator. 



We will give an illustration of a few electric toys which M. Trouve 

 has found for us. In the picture (fig. 281) we see three different objects, 

 a rabbit beating a small bell, a representation of a bird with outstretched 

 wings, and a pin surmounted by a skull. All these are capable of having 

 movement imparted to them by means of electricity, although made and 

 intended for ordinary use in the form of scarf-pin or other ornament. 



Let us take the " death's head " pin first. It is in gold, and enamelled 



