While the orientals have shown us some stunning effects in decoration, I believe that the future will show some results of color harmony and artistic spacing that will be much superior to theirs. We are busy as yet trying to master the kite craft from the constructive and flying side, but we are getting on, even on the decorative side as well. We are now ready to discuss variety in the next chapter. CHAPTER IV. PLAIN SURFACE KITES. [Illustration: FIGS. 22, 23, 24, 25.] The tailless continues to be the most popular of all the kites. No matter how artistic, how representative, how curious, or how mechanical the new kites may be, the tailless is the first and last out every season. It flies in a very light breeze, and is so steady in the air. There are several kinds of tailless, but the two stick Eddy Kite seems to be the winner. These kites are made from five inches to thirty feet in height. This kite, Figs. 8 and 22, has two sticks of equal length, the vertical stick is called the spine, and should be straight, while the bow is placed about one-fifth the distance down from the top of the spine. This bow stick is bent backward by inserting a brace stick as shown by Fig. 23. The advantage of a removable brace stick will be recognized when a person tries to carry several kites to a field at one time. If the brace stick is out, the kites lie flat and do not injure each other, so that twenty-five or more might be carried by one person, but if the kite is bowed, there may be great difficulty in carrying two or three. Most boys bow about three inches for a three-foot kite. See Chapter 1 for the stringing of this kite. =The tailless kites= are nearly all constructed so as to have a keel projecting out to the front. In order that the keel may be of more service, the covering is not stretched tight, but is left loose. Perhaps an inch along each side would be allowed for bagging or pocketing. See Chapter I on covering. If the covering is drawn tight, the kite will dodge and will probably dive to destruction. [Illustration: FIGS. 26, 27, 28, 29.] Now we can modify this type form of kite. We can use two spines and two bows, Fig. 24. In this kite the upper bow should be bent more than the lower, and the bridle will be of more service if attached to the upper bow at two points about midway from spine to end of bow. The covering should not be quite so loose on this kite as on Fig. 22 but should not be tight. Another variation is given in Fig. 25, in which two spines are used and one bow. Sometimes the spines are crossed as shown in Fig. 26, the distance being much greater at the bottom than at the top between the ends of the spine sticks. A modification of the last two is shown in Fig. 27, in which a built out keel is shown. Two small braces project from the bottom of each spine with a third stick connecting their meeting place with the center of the bow stick. [Illustration: FIGS. 30, 31, 32, 33.]