22 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 16 
The present committee does not understand that it has authority to proceed in 
this manner without the expressed sanction of the general Association. If the 
Association is willing to vote to accept as rules for guidance in regard to common 
names, the list of suggestions hereto appended and forming part of this report which 
has been distributed for examination previous to this meeting, the committee thinks 
that the task assigned to it two years ago can proceed without further delay. 
The present committee does not understand that it has been commissioned to 
modify (except editorially) any common names previously adopted by the Associa¬ 
tion. In certain cases such names are now known to be incorrect through misidenti- 
fication or similar cause. Other names prove to be too cumbersome; and still 
others, even though simple, have not met with any universal usage. The com¬ 
mittee, therefore, recommends that it be given authority to review the official lists 
and resubmit them with the new list prepared. 
The editorial work on the list under consideration requires a very considerable 
amount of conference. Such conference is not possible among entomologists so 
widely distributed as are the members of the present committee. The committee, 
therefore, recommends that the Committee on Nomenclature be enlarged by four of 
the entomologists residing in Washington, Messrs. A. C. Baker; A. N. Caudell; 
J. A. Hyslop, and S. A. Rohwer, who have greatly aided the committee during the 
past year. This would make it possible to refer to taxonomists points of nomen¬ 
clature, without the loss of time previously experienced; and would facilitate con¬ 
sultation on various matters important to the work of the committee. 
Respectfully submitted, 
Edith M. Patch 
Arthur Gibson 
Z. P. Metcalf 
Committee 
Suggested Rules 
In preparing a set of rules as a first step in the study of names no attempt has been 
made to reflect the visible tendencies of modern English. Indeed this would be 
impossible. It is believed, however, that only such rules have been formulated as 
will give a better sense conception, and that the result of their application will not 
be far from the usual English usage. 
Rule 1.—A common name should be given only when the insect is of particular 
interest on account of its economic importance, its striking appearance, or its -abun¬ 
dant occurrence. 
2. —When feasible a common name, used in any publication, should be accom¬ 
panied by a reference to the scientific name. (This stand is taken because of the 
fact that the literature of entomology is international; and publications, even 
though popular, are often consulted by students outside our own colloquial sphere). 
3. —A common name should, in general, be of two parts: one part indicating the 
family, group, or class to which the insect belongs; and the other a modifying part, 
limiting this tq a specific insect. Examples: Striped blister-beetle, terrapin scale, 
fall army worm. 
4. —In compounding words the hyphen should be used to connect words which to¬ 
gether form the group name; except when the last part of the name indicates an 
incorrect systematic group or when it is a noun implying an intransitive action, in 
