Lets Collect Rocks and Shells | Page 3

as inconspicuous as it can. This can be pretty inconspicuous, as the novice conchologist learns early in his search.
REMEMBER - by all means, don't be a landlubber. Get into the water. No matter whether you go shelling up North, down South, in the West or in the Tropics, you won't get any satisfaction (or value) from collecting dead shells washed up on a beach. To build a good collection, you should take your mollusks alive, then clean and prepare them yourself. (More about that later.) You won't find live ones unless you go where they live.
[figure captions]
CONUS SPURIUS "ALPHABET CONE"
CYRTOPLEURA COSTATA "ANGEL WING"
TEREBRADISLOCATA "ATLANTIC AUGER"
MUREX DILECTUS "LACE MUREX"
EPITONIUM HUMPHREYSI "HUMPHREY'S WENTLETRAP"
LYROPECTEN NODOSUS "LION'S PAW"
FASCIOLARIA DISTANS "BANDED TULIP"
DIODORA CAYENENSIS "KEYHOLE LIMPET"
ANATINA PLICATELLA "CHANNELED DUCK"

WHERE TO LOOK*

Many shells are endowed with perfect camouflage. The colorful seafans off Florida are hiding places for the SIMNIA whose long purple or yellow shells, clinging to sea fans and matching perfectly in color, are nearly indiscernible. Other shells create disguises as they go along. In Florida waters, a pile of dead and broken shells may be worth investigation: XENOPHORA CONCHYLIOPHORA ("carrier shell") might be under it; it cements the old, discarded shells to its own. Northern tide pools accommodate many kinds of LITTORINA ("periwinkles"). These pretty little shells, in shades from yellow to brown, are well concealed among the dimly-lit seaweed. Along any rocky shore, limpets grow as wide as two inches but remain hard to find. Their turtleback shells, covered with moss, look just like rocks, and they stick so tightly to the big stones that--even when they are seen--they can scarcely be pried loose.
Abundant on wave-washed beaches of both the North and the South are dead shells of another perfectly camouflaged clam called ARCA. While alive, the shells are covered with hairy, brown or black epidermis and look like pebbles among tufts of seaweed and marine grass.
On the West Coast, the abalone is a most typical species in addition to being a delicious food. The bright-hued shell is widely used for souvenirs such as ash trays and is in demand for buttons and decorative purposes.
Most shells of interest to the collector are found in the sea-- but not all. Living forest mollusks have been found 18,000 feet high in the Himalayas. And in this country a great variety of mollusks live in rivers, ponds, and even hot springs. Several species are peculiar to the Nile River. Also, species of mollusks live on land--for example the common garden snail.
Wherever you go, be it the South Seas, a mountain lake, or the shoals off the Gulf Coast, you'll find shells to collect and opportunities to expand your hobby.
*Collectors should familiarize themselves with local regulations. In some areas, such as parks and marine sanctuaries, collection of shells and other marine organisms may be restricted or prohibited.

STARTING A COLLECTION. . .HERE'S HOW

Knowing WHERE to look for shells you probably wonder WHEN is the best time. The answer is ANYTIME. Mollusks know no season. Some species appear suddenly for several days and then vanish; others can be found almost anytime. Most mollusks appear at night, but others work only in the daytime and go out of sight after dark. The tides may have something to do with it. So does the weather-- it can be hot or cold, dry or rainy. While you won't find the same shell at all times, you'll find a great variety at any time.
What to take? The things pictured on page 8 should be enough. If you're going out on the coral reefs along Florida, it would be wise to keep your legs covered as protection against stings or scratches. Don't ever forget to wear some kind of shoes in the water. Even though you're wearing a mask or goggles, take along a gig or some slender stick and feel your way along so you don't fall into a hole you can't see in the deceptive near-tropical waters. If, despite precautions, you get a sea urchin's needlelike spine broken off in your skin, soak the wound in vinegar which will dissolve the fragments and stop the pain in a few minutes.
Tiny shells buried in sand can be netted in your sieve. Clinging ones must be chiseled off rocks. Frail, delicate clingers should be gently nudged loose with tweezers. Submerged sandbars are good spots to find several kinds of univalves and bivalves, but the latter will dig themselves quickly out of sight--as far down as several feet. When you see one going underground, don't dig directly over it--you might break its shell. Instead, dig to one side, and break the mud or sand away with your hands.
After you've had a good day's haul and a rest (you'll need one) you must clean your shells. Put your tiniest, most fragile ones in rubbing alcohol. Put the