Q2 EYE SPY 
sentiment, but especially a matter of ignorance ; 
sentiment as associated with fragrant flowers and 
droning wings and " white-clover honey " for do 
we not all know the " busy bee," and how he 
" gathers honey all the day " for the hive, and thus 
for humanity arid the hot biscuit ? There is then 
a palliative for the busy bee's " hot foot," as Paddy 
described his first warm contact with the insect. 
But who ever heard of any one with a good word 
for the hornet ? He is under the ban an outlaw, 
the black sheep of the insect fraternity, a source 
of uneasy suspicion, shunned by valiant man, good 
for nothing to the boy except to shy stones at 
from a safe retreat ; while to the fair sex, always 
the signal for precipitate flight, if not hysterical 
terror. 
The popular verdict on the hornet is so well 
voiced in that famous entomological essay from 
the pen of Josh Billings that I am tempted to 
quote it entire and use it for my present text. I 
am sure the average reader will say " Amen " to 
every word of it : 
" The hornet is a red-hot child ov Nature ov 
sudden impreshuns and a sharp konklusion. The 
hornets alwus fites at short range and never argy 
a case. They settle all ov their disputes bi letting 
their javelin fly, an' are az certain an' az anxious 
tew hit az a mule iz. Hornets bild their nest 
wherever they take a noshun to, an' seldum are 
