AQUARIA 397 



of " three-cross " tin by cutting strips | inch wide and 

 folding to a right angle along the center. We must allow 

 I inch for thickness of cement and interference of the 

 glass at the upright corners ; so that we will now cut the 

 long pieces halfway in two with the snips, i.e., in as far 

 as the angle, at exactly 8|, I3|, 22 J, and 27^ inches, cut- 

 ting off the end at the last mark. We thus have the 

 top and bottom of our frame each in one piece. We next 

 bend them to a rectangular figure, squaring the corners 

 neatly, and, holding the open corner inside the square, 

 solder this joint. We now have the top and bottom of 

 our frame. Taking the four vertical corner pieces, we 

 solder them over the corners, holding each carefully in 

 the square while we solder, and the frame is done. With 

 tools and materials at hand, it should take about ten 

 minutes to make the small frame. If we do not wish to 

 have the children learn to solder,^ or cannot get the tools, 

 the tinner will do this in a few minutes. 



If we wish a cover to keep insects, frogs, toads, and 

 even fishes from jumping out, we solder two small brass 

 hinges to the frame. We may use for the cover per- 

 forated zinc or tin, folded over one-quarter of an inch all 

 around to strengthen the edges, or wire screen in a 

 wooden frame. The perforated metal makes a neat cover, 

 with hinges soldered to one edge and a handle ring to the 

 other. To hold it shut it is well to solder a little ring to 



1 Soldering is a good exercise in patience ; the secret of getting a smooth 

 joint is to heat the iron properly and to hold it still long enough and 

 to move it slowly enough to melt the solder thoroughly. The iron will then 

 leave the surface perfectly smooth, without wrinkles or points that will be 

 likely to break the glass. 



