legs backwards, the heels close to the upper part of the thighs. Lower yourself gently from this position, until your elbows nearly meet behind the back. Remain in this attitude a short time, then rise gently, carefully avoiding touching the ground with your feet. You may vary this exercise by sinking gradually down as before, and kissing the bar behind each hand alternately. This is a graceful movement, but do not spoil it by touching the ground with your knees.

Exercise 36.-A good and usetul position is the Letter L, as it is fancifully called. The legs are drawn up at right angles with the body, while the knees are kept straight. It may be varied by the hands being clasped outside the bars whilst standing on the ground and forming the same figure underneath the bars.

Exercise 37. The gymnast will now be able to vary the preliminary exercises by throwing his legs over either bar whilst swinging, and sit on the bar, or he may give himself a greater impetus and throw himself entirely over the bar on to the ground. He may proceed along the bar by a series of jumps with the hands more or less quick, or he can drop on the forearm, and let the elbow and wrist be supported by the bar, and swing in that position. Rise and drop into that position until it can be done surely and without effort. A nimble movement is to take the right hand from its position, and to touch the left-hand bar with the right hand. Try the same movement with the left hand, and when it can be done easily, try and perform the same movement by passing the hands behind the back in touching the bars.

Exercise 38.-Several pretty feats on the parallel bars require some little agility, but if the elementary free movements have been practised, they can be easily performed. To stand on the bars, you must secure a good balance whilst astride on one of the bars. The sole of one foot may now be placed on the bar, and the toe of the other foot slipped underneath it. By means of this toe draw yourself to an upright position, and bring both feet together. To do this properly, you will have to practise balancing, as before described, or you may get an ugly fall. Stand in the first position, throw one leg over each bar, and rest your hands on the bar behind the legs. Remember your swinging practice. Disengage the feet, swing boldly through the bars, and when your legs are fairly through the bars, extend them and seat yourself astride, with your face in the opposite direction. Swing at one end of the bars, and when in full course spring forward, catch the bars with the hands, when the body, if it is gracefully done, will be in the position of the lowered body. If not done carefully, beware of how you fall. The curling movement commences with the second style of the letter L. Count eight or ten, and then turn slowly over, keeping the knees straight until you hang in reverse. Come slowly back, until you assume the original position. Another good movement is to slide the hands forward and the legs backward; put the toes over the bars until you form the, Indian Cradle. This does not give a pleasant sensation. After a short in terval draw yourself up again. These exercises are not necessarily performed in the order given. They may be varied almost ad infinitum.

Climbing.

Exercise 39.-Procure a stout board, and, according to its length, set it against the wall at an angle of from 30° to 45°. Seize both sides of the board, place the feet flat in the centre, and ascend by moving hands and feet, in short steps, alternately. This exercise throws great stress on the muscles of the loin and back, as well as the extensor muscles. A pole may be ascended in the same manner, but care must be taken that the shoes are not slippery. This movement can be performed in a room.

Exercise 40.-Procure a ladder, and raise the body by seizing hold of the rundles alternately underneath. Bring the elbow of the lower arm sharp to the side, previously to pulling up the body by the other. The legs should be kept as close as possible.

Exercise 41. In climbing up a scaffold or other pole, which may be done by grasping it with both hands, the right above the left, the legs should alternately grasp the pole in the ascent by means of the great toe, which is turned towards the pole. In descending, be careful not to come down too fast. The friction must be thrown on the inner part of the thighs, and the hands left comparatively free. In climbing trees, care should be taken to use the hands more than the legs, and great caution should be used in laying hold of withered branches, or they may suddenly give way. Try each branch separately with the hands in going up, and with the feet in going down, ere you trust your body to it.

Exercise 42.-Rope-climbing is an excellent as well as a most useful exercise. It is comparatively easy to climb a knotted rope, or one in which short cross pieces are inserted; but the true gymnast despises such aids, and pulls himself up by his hands alone. But ere he can attain this dexterity he must make use of his feet somewhat. A sailor passes the rope from the hands between his thighs, twists it round ore leg just below the knee and over the instep. The other foot presses on the rope, and thus a firm hold is secured. When descending, beware of letting the rope slip, or the skin will be torn from the flesh. Put one hand under another. Some clever climbers descend head foremost, and this is by no means difficult, as the rope is held by the feet.

Exercise 43.-Seize the rope about a yard from the ground, and run with it as far as you can. Let go and swing yourself forward, marking the spot where the toes touch the ground; but this leads us to

The Giant Stride.

This curious piece of gymnastic furniture is familiar to most school-boys. It is like a gigantic umbrella stick, with ropes in place of the familiar whalebone and gingham. This "flying step" is generally much abused: the boys run round it, instead of taking flying jumps over a ten-foot pole, to set the blood aglow, and perform a series of evolutions which, for grace and agility, would make a poor dyspeptic patient blush for shame. The ropes attached to the

revolving iron cap should be fitted with a stout cross-bar of elm or ash, about two feet in length. Hold these staffs at arms' length, and run round the pole until the whole body assumes the same line as the rope, and the feet touch the ground only at intervals. Practise this from left to right and right to lett. When the plain circle can be done with ease, a series of smaller circles with the feet whilst going round the pole. A string from the upright may be passed outside at various heights, which may be leaped by the mere action of the centrifugal force, as high as ten feet, easily by a boy. Be careful, however, not to lose your balance!

On the Horizontal Bar.

One of the

Every one knows what a horizontal bar is, and its construction. best of many modes of construction, particularly where the space is limited, is to have two strong upright posts, firmly fixed in the ground, from fourteen to sixteen feet high, fitted with mortice holes to admit the horizontal bar. One of the posts should be fitted with notches, to allow the gymnast to reach the top easily or to descend. The bar at first should be placed just out of reach of the hands of the gymnast, that a small spring is necessary to grasp it. Many of the feats on the horizontal bar here described may be performed on a swinging bar, as proficiency is attained. At first the bar should be firm, and the gymnast should grasp it with the hand, not with the thumb and fingers. The thumb should rest by the side of the fingers, which should assume a hook. like form.

Exercise 44.-The first exercise is to hang on to the pole, the body remaining loose and straight in a natural position. Gradually let the body hang by one hand until the arms are accustomed to the weight of the body. Be cool, and do not twist, or down you will come. When the arms are used to the weight of the body, attempt to walk along the pole, moving first one hand and then the other. The body must be kept as still as possible. You may vary this by placing one hand at each side of the bar. It will soon become easy.

Exercise 45.-Seize the bar with both hands and attempt to raise the body up to the bar until it is on a level with the breast. Lower yourself gradually, and continue the exercise until it is easy and familiar. A good gymnast can do this a dozen times successively without experiencing fatigue. When it can be done easily, the body may be raised to the full extent of the arm. This exerts

the muscles powerfully, and requires a strong effort.

Exercise 46. Now try the swing by the hands on the bar. It gives a peculiar sensation, but you soon become accustomed to it. When at the swing, accustom yourself to let go the bar and spring forward or backward on to the feet.

Exercise 47.-Raise the body as high as possible, throw the arms over the bar, holding firmly by them. This relieves the pressure on the wrists, and is a very useful exercise, particularly when the body is raised from the ground and held up by one arm. To do this, however, the arm must be passed underneath

the bar, which must be pressed firmly between the hand and shoulder. Each arm should be tried alternately.

Exercise 48.-After raising yourself to the full extent of the arms, change your hands, and curl over the bar, dropping lightly on to the feet. The changing hands is to reverse the position of the finger points on the bar, and in this instance they must be turned towards the body.

Exercise 49.-Kicking the Bar.-This feat is performed by hanging by the hands and drawing up the feet until the instep touches the pole. The head must be thrown well back, to counterbalance the legs and feet. Do this slowly, and beware of unnecessary jerks and strains when this can be easily accomplished.

Exercise 50. May be tried. The legs are raised as in kicking the bar, but the feet are passed underneath the pole until the body hangs down with the arms twisted. The gymnast may drop on to the ground after this, or he may try to bring the body and legs back again. This will be found very difficult to all but the very young and supple. The strain on the twisted arms is very great.

Exercise 51.-A series of movements to sit on the bar are thus performed. When hanging on the bar, pass one foot between the hands as in kicking the bar. Hitch the leg over the bar, the other leg must hang as low as possible. Give a swing backwards and come up right on the bar. The other leg can be brought over so as to sit on the bar. The same attitude is often assumed by passing both feet under the bar and stretching them straight into the air until the head points to the ground, and the heels to the air. Draw yourself upwards until the weight of the legs and feet bring you upon the bar seated. In bott these movements the beginner generally overbalances himself. You may leave the bar when seated on it in two ways. One of which is to put the hands on the bar with the finger points forward, slide backwards, keeping the knees bent, roll over backwards, and come down on the feet. The second is the vaulting practice. Place both hands on one side, with the fingers away from the body, then with a slight spring bring the feet over the pole and vault to the ground. Exercise 52.-Hitch one leg over the bar and hold on with the hands, one on each side of the bar. Now give a swing backwards until you can give your self such an impetus as to come right round the bar into the same position. Try the same movement with different legs and with both hands on one side of the bar until you can do it a dozen times without stopping. The hands may be placed on each side of the bar, and the legs raised one on each side and crossed above the bar. Now try and spin round the bar like a fowl on a spit; when you can do this easily, try the reverse way, bring the legs backward over the bar and spring in the Indian Cradle position. This is very difficult.

Exercise 53. From the letter L, as on the parallel bars, count fifty before you drop. Bring the feet through the arms, keeping the knees straight all the time. Place one hand on each side of the bar, form letter L, then bring the legs upwards and repeat the movement as before, but keep the arms inside the legs.

Exercise Sit on the bar, point the fingers to the front, grasp the bar firmly on each side, let your body slide forward until the bar crosses the small of the back, and the elbows project upwards. Draw yourself back again and resume the sitting position. Sit on the bar as before, then suddenly slide back. wards and drop, catching yourself by your bent knees. Be careful to drop perpendicularly, and do not communicate any movement to the body. When this can be easily done, first one leg and then the other may be unhooked. The released leg may be thrown over the instep or hang loosely. When the beginner feels confidence, he may hitch both insteps over the pole, forcing the toes upwards. Loosen the hands from the pole and let the body hang perpendicularly. Drop on to the ground on the hands and spring to the feet.

Exercise 55.-Two difficult movements are called the "trussed fowl," and the "true lover's knot." To perform the first, you hang on the bar, draw up the feet and place the insteps against the bar. Push the body through the arms, and remain in that position as long as you can. The latter is a school-boy's trick, and very difficult to do. Grasp the bar, pass the left knee through the right arm until the inside of the knee rests against the inside of the right elbow. Now pass the right knee over the instep of the left foot, let go the left hand, and with it grasp the right foot. You will now hang by the right hand in an attitude that professional tumblers can seldom assume.

The Wooden Horse.

Every one likes the exercises on the wooden horse. The apparatus is easily made. It only requires a piece of the trunk of a tree, barked and smoothed, firmly fixed on four posts, or legs, so that it cannot be easily pushed over. It should be the height of the gymnast's nose. A little nearer one end than the other, a rough, stout saddle should be placed, with the wooden pommels covered with common leather. The hind pommel should be rather higher than the other. On the off side of the horse, a sawdust bed, some four feet square, should be made, on which the gymnast may alight after his jumps. On the near side a spring-board is desirable, but not essential. A slight covering of sand on the near side is, however, absolutely necessary to avoid slips in taking the leaps.

Exercise 56.-Commence by standing on the near side of the horse with one hand on each pommel. Spring up, bring the arms straight, until the body is supported by the hands, and the knees rest against the body of the horse. Spring lightly down on the toes, and continue to practise this until it becomes easy and natural. Then jump a little higher, throw the right leg over the saddle, removing the right hand, and you are mounted. Practise mounting both ways. To dismount, place the left hand on the fore pommel, and the right hand on the saddle. A slight raising of the body, and you can throw yourself off easily. Endeavor also to sustain the body by the hands and arms, whilst the feet are off the ground, by throwing yourself a little way from the horse, so as to pre pare yourself against the restiveness of a real nag.