BOOMERANGS. 



effect of these two tendencies is a rising of 

 the right front quarter. 



This alteration in the plane of rotation 

 causes a further change in the form of an 

 alteration of the general direction of flight. 

 For with its front raised higher than its back, 

 it no longer presents its cutting edge to the 

 air. Its under surface meets the air obliquely, 

 the right forward quarter being the higher ; 

 and the result is that it tends to turn upwards 

 and to the left. The tendency to turn upwards 

 is resisted by gravity, but it does turn to the 

 left. 



The causes being persistent, the result is 

 continuous and cumulative, so that the boom- 

 erang makes a partial or complete circuit, or 

 more than one complete circuit. 



The rising of one side can become so ex- 

 cessive that the weapon turns over, and this 

 and other modifications due to the gyroscopic 

 spin produce further complications of the flight 

 of the boomerang, which it would be tedious 

 to attempt to explain further in detail. Fig. 

 16 shows some of the varieties of flight actually 

 performed, including a curious ricochet move- 

 ment along the ground. The upright line 

 represents the thrower, and the boomerang 

 starts from near the top of this line. 



In suburban districts, where babies and 

 old ladies abound, and the police are at hand 

 to see that their rights are respected, it would 



59 



