The Fly-hunt 283 



blocked porch — but certainly after she comes 

 out, for, when starting on an expedition, she 

 never fails to put a finishing touch to the result 

 of the natural landslip. Wait for her departure 

 and you shall see her, before flying off, sweep 

 the front of the door and level it with scrupu- 

 lous care. When she is gone, I defy the most 

 penetrating eye to find the entrance. To 

 discover it again, when the sandy expanse 

 was of any size, I had to resort to a kind of 

 triangulation ; and how often, after a few 

 hours' absence, did not my combinations of 

 triangles and my efforts of memory prove to be 

 at fault ! All that remained was the stake, 

 a grass-stalk planted on the threshold ; and 

 even this method was not always effective, for 

 the insect, with its passion for continually 

 improving the outside of the nest, often made 

 the bit of straw disappear from sight. 



