92 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 and 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 



