208 MUSCID^ — FLIES. 



two in the morning. I sould eighteen dozen out in that 

 d'rection the other day, and got rid of them before I had 

 got half-way. But flies are very scarce at Croydon this year, 

 and we haven't done so well. There ain't half as many flies 

 this summer as last. 



" Some people says the papers draws more flies thanthoy 

 ketches, and that when one gets in, there's twenty others will 

 come to see him. It's according to the weather as the flies 

 is about. If we have a fine day it fetches them out, but a 

 cold day kills more than our papers. 



" We sills the most papers to little cook-shops and sweet- 

 meat shops. We don't sill so many at private houses. The 

 public-houses is pretty good customers, 'cos the beer draws 

 the flies. I sould nine dozen at one house — a school — at 

 Highgate, the other day. I sould 'em two for three-ha' 

 pence. That was a good hit, but then t'other days we loses. 

 If we can make a ha'penny each we thinks we does well. 



"Those that sills their papers at three a-penny buys them 

 at St. Giles's, and pays only three ha'pence a dozen for them, 

 but they ain't half as big and good as those we pays tup- 

 pence-ha'penny a dozen for. 



" Barnet is a good place for fly-papers ; there's a good lot 

 of flies down there. There used to be a man at Barnet as 

 made 'em, but I can't say if he do now. There's another 

 at Brentford, so it ain't much good going that way. 



" In cold weather the papers keep pretty well, and will 

 last for months with just a little warming at the fire ; for 

 they tears on opening when they are dry. You see we 

 always carry them with the stickey sides doubled up together 

 like a sheet of writing-paper. In hot weather, if you keep 

 them folded up, they lasts very well ; but if you opens them, 

 they dry up. It's easy opening them in hot weather, for 

 they comes apart as easy as peeling a horrange. We gener- 

 ally carries the papers in a bundle on our arm, and we ties 

 a paper as is loaded with flies round our cap, just to show 

 the people the way to ketch 'em. We get a loaded paper 

 given to us at a shop. 



" When the papers come out first, we use to do very well 

 with fly-papers ; but now it's hard work to make our own 

 money for 'em. Some days we used to make six shillings a 

 day regular. But then we usen't to go out every day, but 

 take a rest at home. If we do well one day, then we might 

 stop idle another day, resting. You see, we had to do our 



