Page:Popular Mechanics 1928 01.pdf/76

 



Bare spots on the coasting slide will not stop a roller-runner sled now on the market. Inserted in each runner, are three small wheels that project slightly so that, when bare ground is encountered, they permit the sled to pass swiftly over, yet do not interfere with the speed on snow. If the soil is not loose or muddy, the sled may be used for summer coasting and, when so employed, is easily steered by a wheel on the guiding arm. This has a spring that acts as a shock absorber if the wheel strikes an obstruction.

 

The hippopotamus is apparently a hardy creature, but it must be given special care when winter comes to the zoos. The hippo's bath must be kept at a temperature of fifty-five to sixty degrees. Monkeys suffer from colds and more serious lung troubles if not kept in temperatures equal to those of their native haunts, so the air is cleansed and moistened by blowing it through damp silk cloths. Preparations for putting the animals in winter quarters are commenced late in September or the early part of October. The Siberian tiger will stand much colder temperatures than its cousins from Africa, so the first few cold days are not likely to harm it. Many of the tropical birds learn to acclimate themselves to the rigors of chilly winds and storms, and many of the fur-bearing animals display longer or shorter coats according to the season, after they have been in captivity for a number of years, although in their native surroundings there is little or no variation in their fur.

 



No gauge is needed in using an automatic air-service station for inflating the tires. You simply turn an indicator to the desired pressure, pull out the hose on a convenient spring reel, apply the chuck to the valve and, while the tire is being filled, a bell rings. It stops when the proper amount of air has flown in. The hose is then released and coils itself up on the concealed reel. The unit is an attractive addition to the usual service station and has a bulb labeled air at the top.

¶ Bars of iron were used as money years ago in Great Britain.

