COLLECTING MARINE SHELLS 



SHORE AND SHALLOW WATER COLLECTING 



By B. R. Bales, M.D. 



Reprinted from 1941 Annual Report, American Malacological Union, in part, 

 and from "Shell Notes" (Vol. 1, 7 and 8), 1944. 



In no other form of mollusk collecting is there need of so many differ- 

 ent tools or implements, and, while a student may achieve a measure of 

 success with no equipment whatever, he will eventually find that many 

 specialized tools will be necessary as he progresses in the study of marine 

 malacology. 



Hook. Probably the most useful tool, and one that will be used day 

 after day if given a thorough trial, is a hook made from %" metal. This 

 hook should be of a length convenient to the collector's needs and should 

 be the same length as a walking stick. Any blacksmith will make one. The 

 point should be sharp, and a handle should be made at the other end by 

 bending the metal into a loop or hand-hold. Three or four inches above 

 the point, a curved hook, also pointed, should be welded on so that the 

 finished product is in the form of an elephant hook with an elongated 

 handle. This tool is conveniently used as a cane when walking the beaches; 

 is handy to turn over shells or small rocks seen through the water-glass or 

 to turn over shells on the beach without stooping; may be used to draw 

 objects to the collector; is fine for a snake weapon when hunting in the 

 jungle or hammock; may be used effectively to bring down a branch on 

 which a Liguus is resting to convenient reach, and is an all-round efficient 

 tool. Be sure to paint it red, orange or other brilliant color so that it may 

 be readily found should it be dropped in water or jungle. Hooks soon 

 become rusty and the color blends with soil or sand, but if painted, they 

 are readily located. 



Screen. To collect the smaller specimens from shallow water, it is 

 often necessary to use a screen, and these may be made in many sizes and 

 forms. If an oblong screen is used, it should be not less than 22 inches long 

 and 12 inches wide; if it is a square one, 18 inches will be found convenient. 

 The sides should be from 3 to 5 inches in height. However, the size of 

 the screen depends upon the individual user, and it should not be so large 

 that it taxes the strength, for it should be remembered that to be successful 

 in screening, the collector must be persistent and many hours are usually 

 spent in this manner. It is a fascinating form of collecting and the time 

 flies all too soon. Seldom will the collector stop sifting without trying 

 "just one more screenful" of material. Some collectors prefer several grad- 

 uated sizes of screen wire cloth, but most prefer just two; the inside screen 

 to be '/^ inch mesh and the outer one of Yg inch mesh. The inner screen 



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