mountain brook on the other. The average grade is about eight eight per cent. and the maximum grade is twelve per cent.

This is a regular trackless line in California. This highway is is also largely used by automobiles and other vehicles and experience shows that the trackless trolley cars are able to turn out for any passing vehicle. or any obstruction, and still have a

MOUNTAINS

THIS HIS electric trackless trolley is traveling over a winding path cut out of the side of the mountain to an average width of twenty-five feet. It has a high bank on one side of the road and a

During the early part of the operation of this system it was necessary to

THE PHOTOGRAPHER AT WORK-WITH RESULT BELOW.

operate over a portion of road which was being plowed up. This made it necessary to drive the cars across deep furrows.

UNKNOWN HOBGOBLINS

SOME of nature's most grotesque little individuals have just made their bow to the public. These midgets of remarkable shape are known as "tree-hoppers." They have just been portrayed in a number of large wax models at the Museum of Natural History, New York, executed by Mr. Ignac Matausch, of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology. These droll hobgoblin-like insects are of special interest, for nothing of this character on so large a scale has hitherto been attempted in entomological work.

The "tree-hoppers" have sucking mouthpieces and live on the juice or sap of small trees and plants, which they extract from the stems by means of their sharp beaks, consisting of several bristles enclosed in a fleshy joined sheath. The tropical types are gorgeously colored in many hues. They have four eyes two large and protruding ones, and two below, partly developed. Their two large eyes have a keen, droll look, and the line that separates the head, in some instances,

gives them the appearance of wearing spectacles. They have four wings. Some are clumsy in flight, and use their wings mostly as a parachute. The hind pair of legs is longer than the front ones, and is employed in leaping and jumping to considerable distances, which has given to these insects their common name of "tree-hoppers." They are especially interesting on account of the peculiar development of the thorax, which, in grown specimens, is provided with singular horns or protuberances. These horns are often so freakish and extravagantly shaped that entomologists have hitherto been unable to account for their development and form. They remind one of some of the highly specialized horns and tusks of fossil reptiles and mammals. It is difficult to conceive of their being used by the insect in any way. This peculiar development is not so clearly seen in tree-hoppers of temperate regions as in the species from South and Central America, where they

are

often most surprisingly shaped. Many have mountain-like humps on their backs; the prothorax is prolonged back

ward, like a roof, over the body, often quite covering the entire insect. In some instances, the prothorax is an elevated nightcap, in others it is shaped like a Tam O'Shanter; and sometimes it has long horns, one on each side. Some possess a wonderful sword or blade-like appendage, having ball-like projections, which are oftentimes several long hairs. The little tree-hoppers are practically harmless and are not usually found in sufficiently large numbers to constitute a pest. Nearly all the best and most curious specimens are obtained from various tropical parts of South and Central America, and India. The construction of the wax models requires most patient and delicate modeling and painting, in order to bring out the hundreds of indentures, cavities, and lines.

NEW STYLE OF DUMP CAR

THE style of dump car which has

found favor with Uncle Sam in the excavation of the Panama Canal is shown in the accompanying illustrations. A large number of these cars are being used in work upon that project.

The dumping of the cars is controlled by compressed air from the engine, the cars being equipped with an extra set of pipes and connecting hose, which extends to a special valve in the engine cab. With air from the same supply used for brakes, the mechanism of the cars is worked, and is under such perfect control that the entire train may be dumped at the same time, or one car at a time, part of the load on one side and part on the other, as the work may require.

By another movement of the valve in the engine cab the cars are restored to normal position and are ready to receive another load.

THE CAR AS IT APPEARS WHEN DUMPING ITS LOAD.

SAILING SHIP "COMES BACK"

WHILE the eyes of the world have been focused on the progress in shipbuilding in the steamer class there has been prepared for sea, almost unnoticed, a wooden vessel that far surpasses in capacity any ship of its class that ever put to sea. It is a six masted schooner named the Wyoming. The gross register of this great sailing craft is 3,730 tons or twenty-two tons more than the steel hull six masted schooner William L. Douglas of Boston.

American ambition refused to stop short at six masts. It was thought that one more could be added and the experiment was made with the Thomas W. Lawson, a photograph of the model of which ill fated monster is shown on this page. It is still argued that the seven master could be made to stay afloat, the Lawson having been built too narrow and too light below the water line for the safety of the ship. As the Lawson turned turtle ship builders who predict a great future for the sailing ship are content to leave a seven masted schooner out of their calculations. It is also asserted that the six masted schooner is a more profitable sailing craft than a seven master could possible be, so that the factor of commercial gain will probably settle the limit at six masts.

HUGE FLORAL CORNUCOPIA

THE accompanying photograph depicts

a remarkable cornucopia that was prepared by a well known floral artist for use in one of the big West End London churches during a festival. This cornucopia stood over six feet high and contained besides the fruit over one thousand blossoms, which had been arranged

SIX MASTED MODEL OF Wyoming.

This seems to be the limit of size compatible with safety.

MODEL OF THE ILL-FATED SEVEN MASTER, Thomas Lawson.