Another kind of recreation, both intelligent and useful, consists in collecting the ingenious inventions which are constantly being supplied to our requirements by the applied sciences, and learning how to use them. We have collected a number of mechanical inventions and appliances, with which most ingenious and skilful people will wish to supply themselves, from Edison’s electric pen, or the chromograph, which will produce a large number of copies of a letter, drawing, etc., to the more complicated, but not less valuable contrivances, for making science useful in the house. Having described some scientific toys for the young, we have endeavoured to point out those interesting to persons of riper years, and have grouped together curious systems of locomotion, and ingenious mechanical appliances, such as small steam-boats, ice-boats, swimming apparatus, etc., under proper heads. In addition to the foregoing subjects, we have included some of the experimental details of Chemical Science, with illustrations. We have added a chapter upon Aërial Navigation and Ballooning, with anecdotes of some of our celebrated aëronauts. We have also enlarged upon Light, Sound, Heat, Physical Geography, Mineralogy, Geology, Electrical Appliances, the Electric Light, and most of the latest adaptations of electricity. It will be seen, therefore, that the present work is not only intended for the young; everyone, it is hoped, will find in it something interesting and also profitable, which, if not desired for self-instruction, may at any rate be turned to account as a means of teaching others that science, which is universal, can, when rightly apprehended, preside even over our pleasures and amusements. THE EDITOR. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I.—INTRODUCTORY. PAGE Science and Recreation—The Book of Nature—The Senses—Natural History—Natural Philosophy—Matter—Objects—Properties of Matter 1 CHAPTER II.—OPEN-AIR SCIENCE. Science in the Open Air—Aphides—Evaporation by Leaves—An Aquarium—The Cataleptic Fowl—Needle Points and Thorns—Microscopic Aquarium—Cape Grisnez—Crystals—Ice on the Gas Lamps 6 CHAPTER III.—PHYSICS. Physics—The Meaning of Physics—Forces of Nature—Gravity—Cohesion—Chemical Attraction—Centre of Gravity—Experiments—Automaton Tumblers 22 CHAPTER IV.—PHYSICS (_Continued_). Some Properties of Solid Bodies—Inertia—Motion—Friction—The Pendulum—Equilibrium 35 CHAPTER V.—GASES. Gases and Liquids—Pressure of the Air—Experiments 44 CHAPTER VI.—WATER. About Water—Hydrostatics and Hydraulics—Law of Archimedes—The Bramah Press—The Syphon 59 CHAPTER VII.—HEAT. Heat—What it is—Theory of Heat—The Thermometer—Expansion by Heat—Ebullition and Distillation 72 CHAPTER VIII.—HEAT (_Continued_). Specific Heat—Fusion—Latent Heat—Conduction and Convection of Heat—Calorescence 88 CHAPTER IX.—LIGHT.