Everyday usage

[Ron Gatrelle]

I hope everyone read Herschel Raney's excellent essay from the heart. Only
a left brained soulless computer would find a bit de fault with that - or
Mark Walker's recent parallel of leaf collecting and butterfly
collecting.

I love Herschel's closing line. "But I will still point with my finger at
the buttonbush or the lily, at the fluttering dark wonder upon it and
whisper in my daughter's ear, ' there, right there, goes another Black
Tiger'. "  I concur fully. I hope we humans never loose (sell) our souls to
the pragmatic.

In everyday usage I call many Lepidoptera by their common names. Whenever I
see a cecropia I call it a Cecropia, a diana a Diana, a kingi a King's,
etc. Others I just call Monarch, Queen, Buckeye - I don't even stipulate
which buckeye, queen or monarch. Some I always call favonius, berryi,
aesculapius, or septentrionalis. As you can see, my personal usages have
nothing to do with common vs. scientific or easy (short) vs.
tongue-twister. I just use what ever I am use to.   I think everyone has
that same right. But no one has to right to demand that others only do it
their way.

The reality is that of all the various name users, I have only found one
faction that is insisting that their choice must be used - and that is the
common names _only_ group. These not only do not, but refuse to, use
scientific names. They also refuse to use any common names other than those
proposed by their pet organization. (The are usually under the gross
misimpression that "their" list is The Standardized One.) They think that
they are being gracious in saying one can use scientific names _as long as_
they also post/say the common name at the same time. If one asks them to
reciprocate by also posting/saying the scientific name they scream in
outrage.

1. Use what ever names you want for your personal use.
2. In groups, use that which will communicate to all - which often means
    using both.
3. Acknowledge that scientific names are the correct terms for organisms.
4. Have fun and never loose the soul factor.

I'm off to the field for a few days to help document a butterfly fauna for
the Forest Service.   Paul, I am turning the controversy baton back to you.
Tell us your take on the recent Lep. Soc. new article on "A Devastating
March for Monarchs in Mexico" by my I-hope-still pal Kurt Johnson et al.

RG






 
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