Chelsea Hornets
It has been said—and my experience coincides—that the hornet is becoming a rarity ; but it appears to have migrated to the towns. The following is the authentic experience of a Chelsea householder. In the gale a hornet's nest was blown into the kitchen yard of a Chelsea house. With extraordinary presence of mind the maid who went out to investigate threw over it a cloth soaked in petrol. When she saw hornets crawling out from beneath the pall she se fire to it. A good many remained abroad and seven were killed in the house. This happened last October. This spring three queen hornets appeared in the same house. It is still a question where the nest came from ; but hornets, though they make the nest of soft wood, converting it into paper, will choose almost any site. They are as catholic as others of their tribe. The biggest bees' nest I ever found was in the middle of a quick hedge ; and this year wasps nested (in June !) in a manure heap in my garden.
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