up at the side when the lady is put into it, and the other, attached to the same hinge, is also moveable, and forms, apparently, the lower part of the basket. Directly the young lady who is to be put into the basket comes forward, she is blindfolded, in order that the audience may not remember her features. When in the basket, the operator stabs it in every direction with a rapier. Screams are heard, and directly the basket is turned over, it is empty, because the young lady lies upon the false bottom, and pulls the other one down over her. Another female, dressed

exactly like the one who enters the basket, now appears in the gallery, and draws off the attention of the audience, and in the midst of the bustle, the basket, with the young lady inside, and stand are carried off.

If this trick is performed by placing the basket, furnished, of course, at the bottom with a moveable opening, on the optical table of Pepper and Tobin, the effect is much better; as it is not necessary to blindfold the female, who then escapes through a trap-door below the stage, and again appears amongst the audience.

The Basket Trick performed on the Looking-Glass Table.

The Glasses are at an angle of forty-five degrees. The three legs of the table conceal the edges of the glasses, and the Stage and trap-door are seen below.

The Head of the Decapitated Speaking.

This illusion, performed with a table, under which two pieces of looking-glass are placed, at an angle of forty-five

degrees, concealing the body of the actor, attracted thousands to the Polytechnic, under the above title.

ELECTRICAL DIVERSIONS.
The Forbidden Fruit.

From a box, elegantly painted, and covered to the depth of an inch at the top with a little mould, springs an artificial Christmas tree, whose branches are laden with tempting fruits. Alas, that deception should stoop to such cruelty! The stupid boy of the party is now invited to pick one, and take the sweets and motto out of it. He proceeds to trial, and grasps a tempting one, but before he has time to take it from the bough, he receives a violent shock in his arm, which obliges him to let go and cry out, "Oh !" to the intense delight of all beholders.

Of course, this trick should be arranged in some little room, and only one or two boys should be introduced at a time. Those who have been shocked are sure not to tell the others, and, indeed, wickedly help to take the rest of the "fellows" in.

The picture explains the arrangement; the box conceals a large Leyden jar, which is kept charged from a small electrical machine concealed and worked under the table. Directly the tree is touched-and each boy who touches should be compelled to say a verse of some kind to give the concealed operator time-the ball of the jar is brought in contact with the stem of the tree, from which concealed thin wires convey the electricity to the fruit; a metal tray

should be placed in front of the table on which each boy operates and is to stand, and as the tray is connected with the outside of the Leyden jar, the discharge passes through the body directly the hand touches the fruit.

A "decoy duck" may always be used, whose duty it is to take off one without being shocked; but our young friends are warned that this trick requires good rehearsing. The stem of the tree under the mould may terminate in a ball, and no discharge of the jar can take place until the knob is brought in contact with it, so that the box in which the tree is fixed should be a roomy one and communicate below through a hole in the table; the latter, of course, must be surrounded with drapery. A powerful musical box will prevent the working of the electrical machine being heard.

MAGNETIC TRICKS.

The Chinese Magician.

In this arrangement the magician sidles out of a little house, and walks round a pond, and the ground plan shows the circular magnet, with its poles N. and S., opposite to or not touching each other; so, as the magician is placed on a light and very smooth piece of iron, he slides round, and follows the motion of the disc concealed below,

provided the operator moves it very slowly. The material upon which the magician slides must be very smooth and flat, so that thin flattened glass, painted on the under side, would conceal the circular magnet below, and reduce the friction of the motion of the toy magician.