local($root) = &canonicalize("$HOME/feisty_meow");
# grab the top level stuff.
-&backup_files($base, $number, $root, ".", ("*.txt", "make*"));
+&backup_files($base, $number, $root, ".", ("*.txt", "make*", ".gitignore"));
# get the documentation directory.
&backup_hierarchy($base, $number, "$root", "docs");