260 



Popular Science Monthly 



Any venturesome flies seeking to enter 

 when the door is opened will be blown 

 away by a blast of air from the fan 



Keeping Out Flies When You 

 Open the Door 



A DOOR-OPERATED fan which drives 

 away venturesome flies has been 

 brought out by Joel J. Hurt, of South 

 Omaha, Neb. The bracket holding the fan 

 is attached to the door jamb at the top of 

 the door. The gear of the fan en 

 gages the driving gearing 

 mounted on another shaft. 

 This driving-gear shaft car 

 ries a small pulley on its 

 lower end. A flexible 

 cable wound upon this 

 pulley is attached to 

 the door. When the 

 door is opened the 

 unwinding of the ca- 

 ble operates the fan. 

 The gearing is made 

 high so that the fan 

 is whirled rapidly. 



An automatic 

 clutch disconnects 

 the fan from the pul- 

 ley when the door 

 is fully opened. Mo- 

 mentum keeps the 

 fan rapidly turning 

 until the door is 

 closed. A strong 

 spring, which was 

 wound up with the 

 opening of the door, 

 causes the door to 

 close automatically. 



If Your Parrot is Thirsty, Give 

 Him a Drink 



THERE is a curious superstition ex- 

 istent among parrot-keepers," says 

 L. S. Crandall, in Pets (Henry Holt & Co., 

 New York), "to the effect that these birds 

 not only require no water but are better 

 off without it. The foundation for this 

 absurd belief is not hard to find. When 

 parrots, particularly young birds, are being 

 brought from the tropics, they are custo- 

 marily fed on boiled corn or bread and 

 milk. What moisture they require is ob- 

 tained from the food. If such birds are 

 suddenly given access to unlimited water, 

 the effect on the digestive organs is danger- 

 ous, and may result in the death of the bird. 

 On the other hand, if the parrot be given 

 a drink daily, and then the water be re- 

 moved for a short period, the bird will 

 gradually become accustomed to it. Once 

 this is accomplished, there is nothing to 

 fear from clean water." 



Carrying the temple through the streets of 

 India. During the month of February it 

 is in great demand for wedding celebrations 



An Accommodating Church — It 

 Goes Wherever It Is Wanted 



IN India and in some places of the New 

 World, particularly in the British West 

 Indies, many religious festivals are held 

 along the roadside and in the 

 open fields during the month of 

 February, which is the 

 month of weddings and 

 special feastings. 



On such occasions the 

 participants in the 

 ceremonies do not go 

 to church. The 

 church comes to 

 them. Ornate struc- 

 tures of papier 

 mache are used for 

 the purpose, and 

 these traveling 

 temples are drawn 

 through the streets 

 and country roads 

 by religious devo- 

 tees, who will stop 

 when called upon 

 and hold a service 

 or deliver prayers 

 for a small sum. 



Such temples take 

 a conspicuous part 

 in all parades and 

 religious celebra- 

 tions. 



