head; at the same time draw up the feet toward the hams, but without allowing the knees to touch the ground; then straighten the arms, and regain the original upright position on the bars. Another exercise may be performed thus: when the pupil is in the position represented in the first figure, the right elbow should be lowered to the bar, and after that the left; the right arm should then be lifted up, next the left, and the first position resumed.

The Horizontal Bars.

In the exercise on the horizontal bar, the first position is assumed by taking hold, with both hands, of the side of the bar toward you, and raising yourself until you can look over it. When you can perform this

easily, place the hands on the further

side of the bar, and raise yourself as before. In the next exercise, place your hands on each side of the bar, then raise the body off the ground, and endeavor to pass from one end of the bar to the other, by making a succession of small springs of the hands; and afterward by passing the hands alternately; the legs being, in the mean time, kept close and as straight as possible. Another movement consists in lifting up the legs above the bar, and then allowing them to drop again into the perpendicular position: and when the pupil can swing thus by holding on with his hands and feet, he should try to pass along the bar by moving one hand and one foot alternately; if he can not achieve this, he may slide his feet along the bar, and only move his hands alternately. Next, practice hanging by the right arm and right leg, whilst the left hangs down; and by the right arm and left leg, and left arm and right leg. When perfect in these exercises, take hold of the bar firmly by the right hand, throw the right

leg over the bar, hold on steadily by the joint of the knee, and next raise the body and get the left armpit over the bar; then, by a little exertion, you will be enabled to assume a riding position on it. By firmly holding with the hands, while you bring one leg over the bar, you will be in the position shown in the first figure. Swinging round the bar with the head downward, is performed by taking hold of the bar with both hands, swinging the feet backward and forward two or three times, and then throwing them up in front; by which movement the head sinks down backward, as represented in the second figure. Or, take hold of the bar with the hands, swing round, and while doing so, pass the feet between the hands, returning them the same way, or dropping on the toes to the ground.

The Balancing Bar.

Foremost among the preliminary exercises of balancing are the following: standing on one leg, holding one foot high in the hand, kissing the toe, and sitting down. The two first explain themselves sufficiently; to kiss the toe, lift one foot with both hands, and raise it toward the chin, which should be slightly lowered to meet it. In sitting down, both

arms and one leg should be thrust forward, and the other leg bent until the pupil can sit down, as shown in the annexed figure; after which he should carefully rise up, keeping his arms and leg outstretched, and steadily preserving his balance all the time. The balancing bar is a song, round pole of wood, about fourteen inches thick at one end, and tapering gradually toward the other, where it is not more than half that diameter. It is supported only at the thickest end and in the middle, from whence to the thinner end it is extremely difficult to perform the

exercises, as the pole yields at each step. In dry weather, the soles of the shoes should be damped, as then the upper surface of the bar is smooth and slippery. Mount the bar either from the ground, or from a riding position on the bar; in the latter case, place the right foot flat on the bar, keeping the heel close to the upper part of the thigh, and allow

the left foot and leg to hang perpendicu larly down, with the toes pointing to the ground; and then stretch both arms forward, as in the illustration, Fig. 2; next gradually rise on the foot, and keep your balance for a

minute or two, before you attempt to walk along the bar. First, try to walk with assistance, then alone, balancing by extending the arms, and afterward with the arms folded behind. When you can walk steadily and easily, endeavor to turn round on the bar, first trying at the broad, and then at the narrow end; and lastly, walk backward. When two persons, in walking on the bar, wish to pass each other, they should join arms, place their right feet forward, and turn quite round, by each stepping with the left foot round the right of the other, as represented in Fig. 1. All the balancing exercises require great care.

The High Leap with the Pole.

The pole should be from seven to ten feet in length, and made of perfectly sound fir; if it makes the least crackling noise while the leaper is practicing, it is unsound, and should be immediately laid aside. Grasp the pole at about the

height of the head with the right hand, and with the left at about the height of the hips; then place the end of the pole to the ground, spring forward at the same instant, and swing round, so that you alight facing the spot you leaped from. When confidence has been attained through practice, the pupil may try to clear over the leaping stand, such as is used in the high leap, already described. In the early exercises over this stand, you may quit the pole, by giving a slight push with one hand, so that it may fall on the inner side of the cord; and try to carry the pole over the cord, which is an exceedingly difficult feat to perform, for you must gradually elevate the pole as you descend, so that when you alight, the end of the pole may be upward. These exercises should be practiced with a short run; and unless you plant the end of the pole on the ground at the very moment that you take the spring, the leap can not be considered perfect.

The Long Leap with the Pole.

This leap requires strength in the hands and arms, and some knowledge of balancing: it is best practiced from a flight of steps. The leaper should take the pole in the usual way, and allow his hands to slide down it until the whole weight of his body rests upon the pole, as shown in the illustration; he should then quit the height with his feet, and swinging round the pole, descend on the balls of

his toes, with his face toward the place he sprung from. This leap ought never to be practiced immediately after meals.

The Long Leap with the Pole

Is performed like the preceding, as regards taking the spring and handling the pole. Formerly, in hawking in the woods and coverts, the sportsman carried a stout pole, to assist him in leaping over rivulets. Henry VIII., while one day pursuing his hawk on foot, in Hertfordshire, was plunged into a deep slough by the breaking of his pole.

Walking on Stilts.

Walking on stilts is a very good exercise in balancing, and may be practiced by the pupil when he is expert on the balancing bar. Stilts are easily made: the poles must be about six feet in length; and at or near two feet from the end, pieces of wood, shaped like brackets, should be fastened to them; two or three inches above the brackets, and likewise near the top of the stilts, leather straps with buckles attached must be securely nailed on. To mount these long legs, the balancer must place his feet on the brackets, and buckle the straps closely below his knees, and just above his ankles, so as to confine the upper parts of the stilts to his legs, and keep his feet firm on their resting-places. The long strides which an active youth can take with these additional supports will enable him to keep pace with a four-horsed stagecoach, with comparatively little fatigue.

The Flying Steps, or Giant Strides.

For this exercise, there should be fixed in the ground firmly a stout mast, or upright beam of wood, on the top of which is an iron cap that moves round with facility in a horizontal direction; to this cap are append