A small figure may be worked in the same manner by cutting a piece of wood to a point, and carving the opposite end into the form of the head and shoulders of a man; the pair of oars should be attached in the place of arms, and then, if care to make the point of the wood exactly in its centre has been taken, the figure will stand upright on the tip of the finger, and by blowing he may be made to revolve in a most amusing manner. The Revolving Figure is a more amusing toy than the Revolving Ring; but in that it requires so much more nicety and delicacy of handling to get the proper balance, it is not so easily made.
There is a capital game known by the name of "Revolving Ring," adapted for either out-door or in-door games. It is played with variously coloured balls, which are thrown at rings similarly coloured. The rings are fitted to a board, and in such a way that with the slightest touch on the rims they revolve. The object of the game is to throw the six balls through the revolving rings, the players taking their stand from the board at some specified distance. Each successful throw counts three; and when a ball is thrown through the ring of the same colour the player scores six.
This is a game very similar to but somewhat more simple than that of Parlour Quoits. It also is a game of skill. It is played upon a wooden block, in which are inserted a number of long iron pins, on which the player has to throw rings provided for that purpose. The players score according to the number of rings that are so thrown as to encircle a pin.
The materials for this game are a large star with eight long rays, each one of which is painted some different colour; and eight wooden balls painted to correspond with the colours of the rays of the star. The rays of the star are not fixtures, but their bases are merely slipped into grooves in the body of the star, so that they can be easily knocked out with the balls.
To play the game, each player alternately takes all the eight balls, and standing away from the star at a certain specified distance throws the balls at the star, endeavouring by that means to knock out the rays. If a player should succeed in striking out a ray of the same colour as the ball, two points are scored, but if the ball and the ray knocked out are not of the same colour, one point only is scored. If in any throw the star is altogether missed, three points are to be deducted. When the first player has thrown the eight balls, such rays as may have been knocked out are replaced, and the next player takes the balls and commences the game, and so on until all have had a chance. It is well that a curtain or screen should be arranged behind the star to stop the balls.