Common Names please?

[DR. JAMES ADAMS]

Dear listers,

I have written extensively on this idea in the past, but feel a need 
to say something about the following comments:

David Albaugh wrote:
> Is it really that difficult to post both common and
> scientific names when posting about a specific species?

I don't have a problem with posting *a* common name with a scientific 
name, but which one would you prefer?  As Ken points out, the common 
name is obviously different in Russian, French, Finnish, Chinese, 
Kurdish, etc., and I am *not* going to try to post every possible 
common name for any taxon I talk about.

>You have to remember Doug, we are not all at the professional level. 

Every "non-professional should be offended by this, as this statement 
seems to suggest that non-professionals cannot learn and use 
scientific names. 

>This list is for everyone . . .

Precisely!!  And since it is for *everyone*, the only name that 
*could be* universally understood by our Russian, French, German, 
Chinese, Kenyan, etc. colleagues is the scientific name.  Sorry, Ken, 
I think I stole this idea from you, but I don't think it can be 
emphasized enough.

            James