Popular Science Monthly 



579 



Making Spectacular Displays with the 

 Aid of Toy Balloons 



THE latest idea in illuminated displays 

 for garden parties, for patriotic gather- 

 ings, and the like, is an electrically lighted 

 balloon to be used in place of the old 

 Japanese lantern. These balloons cannot 

 be blown out by the wind, nor can they 

 catch fire ; they will give just as spectacular 

 an effect as Japanese lanterns. 



Ordinary toy rubber balloons are fitted 

 with a metallic neck through which the 

 lighting receptacle can be passed with a 

 thrust of the hand. The electric bulb is 

 secured on the end of a tube inside of this 

 receptacle, and through the ring-shaped 

 cpace around this tube, air can be blown to 

 inflate the balloon. When the current is 

 turned on, the rays of light pass through the 

 stretched, translucent rubber with a warm 

 glow. A number of differently colored 

 balloons strung across a garden, or arranged 

 in the form of a great flag would produce 

 very spectacular effects. 



Displays could be held in the country 

 miles away from an electric light wire. 

 Small incandescent bulbs could be installed 

 to take the place of the larger bulbs, and 

 they could be lighted from the current 

 obtained from a battery or a series of 

 batteries. Or a number of pocket flash- 

 lights could give a pleasing effect. The 

 bulbs could be disconnected from the flash- 

 light and wires could connect the bulbs 

 with the battery. 



The electric light 

 shining through the 

 rubber vividly il- 

 luminates each gay- 

 Iy colored balloon 



How California is teaching its outdoor pop- 

 ulation to cease killing harmless snakes 

 which destroy disease-bearing rodent pests 



Teaching the Truth About the 

 Misunderstood Snake 



IN California the Lorquin 

 Natural History Club of 

 Los Angeles is starting a 

 campaign of snake educa- 

 tion. As the accompany- 

 ing photograph shows, a 

 sign telling passersby that 

 harmless snakes should not 

 be killed — that they destroy 

 disease-bearing rodent 

 pests, is the medium used. 

 These signs are posted in the 

 mountains, in camping 

 places, along streams, and 

 in hunting grounds through- 

 out the State. They have 

 been read by many thou- 

 sands of people. 



The only undesirable 

 snake in California, as the 

 sign points out, is the rattle- 

 snake. All others are bene- 

 ficial and should be allowed 

 to proceed unmolested. 



