130 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



Although we killed thousands, it did not seem to 

 make the slightest difference in their numbers. They 

 were not like our common house-fly, but smaller and 

 darker. 



How the people who live in the country near Mel- 

 bourne stand this terrible pest is beyond my compre- 

 hension. 



I remember our going to a farmhouse to inquire the 

 way, and there we saw, running about, several children 

 whom the flies seemed to be fairly eating alive. Prob- 

 ably, disgusted with fighting them, they had given up, 

 and their individuality was lost in a cloud of flies. 



Terry and I had intended staying at least a week, 

 but with the mosquitoes at night and the flies by day, 

 we had very little chance for rest, so at the end of the 

 fourth day we gave it up in utter disgust, and started 

 for the nearest railway station, whence we took a train 

 for the city. That was the only time I was ever com 

 pletely vanquished and driven home by insects, having 

 gone ojit for the express purpose of capturing them. 



Bidding good-by to our many friends in Melbourne, 

 we left early in February for Sydney, where we ran 

 lectures with excellent success. 



While here Shelley and I spent many happy hours, 

 admiring the treasures contained in the city's magnifi- 

 cent art gallery and museum. 



