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A Falms Suitcase

In the space of 30 years Constance Falmaburra had collected one-third of the 90,000 species of fly known to science. She had divided them arbitrarily into groups of twelve, preserving them in 2,508 narrow glass cases which she kept in 'Dionaea Muscipula', her house on the West Sussex coast. Their weight was such that one external wall had to be supported by a flying buttress, to which Constance attached a massive antennae to ensure perfect reception of television wildlife programmes.

Every third Friday Constance opened 'Dionaea' to the public. Such was the interest that the local council was obliged to construct a flyover, thus easing congestion in the nearby village.

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Peter Greenaway

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