876 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXIX. No. 752 



sincere sense of irreparable loss at his passing 



J. H. COMSTOCK, 



J. G. Needham, 

 J. C. Beadlet, 



Committee 



EESOLITTIONS ON THE DEATH OF DB. JAMES 

 FLETCHER 



Whereas, By the untimely removal of Dr. 

 James Fletcher, the Entomological Society of 

 America has lost — the first by death — one of its 

 original fellows, and former vice-president, v7ho 

 presided at the Chicago meeting one year ago ; and 



Whereas, Dr. Fletcher, by reason of his no- 

 bility of character, kindness of heart and zeal, 

 tempered by good judgment, was known and be- 

 loved among scientific men not only throughout 

 the whoie of the Jnited States and the Dominion 

 of Canada, but also abroad, as a careful, con- 

 scientious, scientific worker, a true Christian and 

 a thorough gentleman; and 



Whereas, His death, almost in the prime of 

 life, is a serious loss to the applied science of 

 entomology as well as of botany in America; 

 therefore, be it 



Resolved, That by and through these resolu- 

 tions the members of this society express their 

 grief over this loss, to two nations, of this truly 

 fine, good man and colleague; and be it further 



Resolved, That a page of the Annals of this 

 society be set aside for tlfe purpose of placing 

 these resolutions on record and that the secretary 

 be instructed to send a copy thereof to the be- 

 reaved family. F. M. Webster 



F. H. Chittenden 

 C. L. Mablatt 



BEPOET OF the COMMITTEE ON NOMENCLATUBE 



Your committee desires to report that since its 

 appointment, four matters have been presented for 

 its consideration. Of these, one was the consid- 

 eration of a particular case and was soon settled. 

 The second is still under consideration; the third 

 it has not, as yet, been able to take up, and the 

 conclusions which the committee have reached 

 upon the fourth case are herewith presented. 



The nomenclature of gall insects was referred 

 to the committee as the result of a paper by 

 Dr. E. P. Felt presented at the last meeting. The 

 committee is not unanimous on all points, but 

 considers it desirable to present the following: 

 Report on the 'Nomenclature of Gall Insects. 



In the literature relating to galls and gall in- 



sects, there are found several dilferent kinds of 

 description, accompanied by names. 



1. Those relating to the galls only, with names 

 intended to apply to the galls, not to their in- 

 habitants. 



2. Those relating to the galls only, but with 

 specific names referred to particular insect genera, 

 and intended to apply to the gall insects them- 

 selves, these being known at the time only from 

 their work. 



3. Those relating to the galls and the contained 

 larvse, with names proposed to be applied to the 

 insects. 



4. Those relating to the galls and the adult 

 insects bred therefrom, and sometimes also to the 

 larvse, with names proposed for the insects in the 

 usual manner. 



5. Those relating to the adult insects, the galls 

 being imknown, with names as usual. 



I. It is agreed that in cases falling under 1, 

 the names proposed do not enter zoological nom- 

 enclature. It is also obvious that in cases 4 and 

 5, the names are correctly proposed, ana available 

 for use if otherwise in accordance with the inter- 

 national rules. 



II. It is the opinion of the committee that spe- 

 cific names based on larvse (case 3) are available, 

 and may be used. 



III. With regard to the description of the gall, 

 it is recognized that it forms a valuable part of 

 the diagnosis of any gall insect, and that without 

 it the recognition of the species may be difficult 

 or practically impossible, especially when the 

 description is not very detailed or precise. The 

 committee is willing to accept a name based on 

 the description of an adult or larva plus gall, 

 even though the name would not be recognizable 

 or of certain application were the account of the 

 gall excluded from consideration. 



IV. With regard to names applied as in case 2, 

 intended to refer to the then unknown makers of 

 known galls, it is the sense of the committee that, 

 whenever possible, these names should be adopted. 



V. The committee is not wholly in agreement 

 as to whether it is obligatory to maintain names 

 (if otherwise valid) proposed as in case 2; or 

 whether, when they are maintained, the original 

 author and date should be cited, or the author 

 and date of the publication in which the insect 

 itself is first described. The majority of the 

 committee, however, is against the obligatory 

 recognition of names accompanied by descriptions 

 of galls only, and holds that when these are 

 adopted, they properly enter nomenclature at the 

 time of the description of the insect itself. 



