746 



Popular Science Monthly 



cover, but little patches of paper are pasted 



over the string (Fig. 3), leaving the edges 



free to flutter in the breeze. The tails 



are from six to eight feet long. 



The bridle may be attached 



as in Fig. 2. The upper 



string should not be more 



than half the length of the 



two lower ones. The bridle 



is fastened at D, E 



and F. 



The tailless kite is 

 perhaps the most pop- 

 ular. Its framework 

 is suggested by Fig. 4. 

 The star kite follows 

 close on the tailless kite 

 in point of popularity. 

 Most star kites have tails. 

 Sometimes two, three and 

 more tails float out in grace- 

 ful parallel curves from the kite. Geomet- 

 rical designs are usually preferred. The 



F102 



--*.MITE LINE 



The tetrahe- 

 dral kite has 



H&3 



£D&£ OF WINCr 



Fl(,b 



Details of frame constructions. 

 The dark Hnes represent frames 

 and the dotted Unes strings 



Japanese square kite has a 

 light frame of bamboo. 

 There are usually a vertical 

 spine, two diagonal pieces 

 that run from corner to 

 corner, and a series of hori- 

 zontal ribs, as shown in 

 Fig. 5. The whole kite is 

 bowed forward {B, Fig. 5) 

 and strings are attached 



A compound tailless kite 

 with telescoping sections 



three to each side, one to the middle of the 

 top and bottom and one to the center. 



The "peace" kite illustrated has for its 

 motto, "I stand for peace. I am neutral. 

 I fear none of them," The framework is 

 shown in Fig. 8. The human 

 figure kites are always an 

 attraction. They are 

 awkward and ungainly 

 but therein lies the 

 appeal. One illustra- 

 tion shows the inimi- 

 table "Charlie" leaving 

 on his aerial trip and 

 another shows him "up 

 in the air." His skele- 

 ton is represented by 

 Fig. 7. Of course the larger 

 box kites are always in 

 evidence, especially those 

 that can be folded or rolled. 

 One illustration shows a box kite with 

 extended side wings, resembling a French 

 war-kite. These kites are 

 strong pullers. 



The dragon kites are among 

 the most interesting novelties 

 of the contest. The one illus- 

 trated is of the tailless type 

 and is a splendid flyer. The 

 rear end usually flies higher 

 than the head. The cords be- 

 tween the difl'erent kites mak- 

 ing up the dragon are all the 

 same length, so when the 

 head is tipsy all the rest are 

 tipsy too. The boy flying 

 this powerful dragon has to 

 protect his hands with cotton 

 gloves. 



The tetrahedral kite is one 

 of the newcomers in the 

 contest. The wood of the 

 framework may be in very 

 small strips and yet be per- 

 fectly rigid on account of 

 the bracing construction. 

 The kite may be made in 

 sections, but the boys are 

 usually too busy with other 

 afi"airs to stop long enough 

 to make tetrahedral kites. 



Two kites were decorated 

 with aerial flower gardens. 

 The designs show up well — 

 picket fence, flowers, moon 

 and all. With a strong light 

 in the background these 

 kites were very eff^ective. 



