110 
Psyche 
[June 
tious effort and serious cooperation on the part of all ento- 
mological writers can do much. 
We hope to prevent the repetition of such an embarras- 
sing situation as developed in the case of the name Japanese 
beetle. Long before Popillia japonica attracted attention in 
this country, American entomologists in Hawaii had named 
Adoretus umbrosus the Japanese beetle and had built up a 
very considerable literature around the name. Now imagine 
what would be our confusion if Adoretus umbrosus should 
succeed in evading the vigilance of the Port Inspectors, 
should enter the United States and our Common Name Com- 
mittee should be confronted with the necessity for deciding 
on a common name for the new pest. Should it be Hawaiian 
Japanese beetle? A very silly name! Or should it be the 
Japanese beetle from Hawaii? Even worse! 
Today, if entomologists will use the available facilities, 
it is possible to ascertain very promptly whether or not a 
common name has been used previously. 
The Committee on Nomenclature of the American Asso- 
ciation of Economic Entomologists maintains and attempts 
to keep up to date a catalogue of all of the English names 
that have been suggested for insects. This list now includes 
the common names of 4,400 species of insects, not all Amer- 
ican but each referred to in literature under an English 
common name. In a duplicate reference card index, these 
names are arranged in one case alphabetically according 
to the technical names and in the other case according to 
the common names. Of course some insects have many com- 
mon names ; in fact, our index has now 5,600 common names 
listed. 
Of this vast number the Association has adopted and 
published preferred names for 625 species of American 
insects. 
One of the present trends in this branch of nomenclature 
and one which I believe to be fully justified is to let nature 
take its course in naming insect pests. This is not always 
possible with newly introduced pests for which names must 
be promptly adopted for regulatory purposes. But in other 
cases it is far better to wait until the people have settled 
upon a name for a pest than to attempt to introduce a new 
