most grocery stores. No fear for the integrity of the shell should be enter- 

 tained, the chlorine will not attack the lime of the shell, but the specimen 

 should not be allowed to remain in the solution for too long a time, as 

 some loss of color through bleaching may occur. 



Shells that are more or less rare are often found washed up on the 

 beaches and are dull and very dead looking. Until they can be replaced 

 by living examples, the color may be greatly intensified by a mild applica- 

 tion of some greasy substance such as vaseline or other mineral fat. Appli- 

 cation of some of the liquid wax preparations will often brighten up a 

 dull and faded specimen. 



To preserve the periostracum of such shells as Sinum and Hydatina 

 which have a tendency to peel when very dry, an occasional application 

 of wax or vaseline will prove efficient. 



It is very important to remember that the collector is not creating a 

 shell but is simply, in a manner "lifting its face" and we often see specimens 

 that have been killed by kindness; they are over-cleaned and practically 

 worthless. The method of dipping in hot acid followed by a plunge in ice 

 water so as to create a false luster is to be avoided like the plague and is 

 worse than trying to gild the lily. The same may be said of the use of 

 varnish or shellac. 



When a person takes the infinite pains and time to prepare his speci- 

 mens properly, he can truthfully say that the collection is "a thing of 

 beauty and a joy forever." 



SHORT NOTES ON CLEANING SHELLS 



Tools. "A discarded set of dentist's tools is unsurpassed for cleaning 

 all types of mollusks . . ." — Clifford J. Awald 



Cleaning Cowries. Cleaning cowries seems to be quite a chore, accord- 

 ing to some collectors, whereas it can be fairly easy and not a lengthy 

 process. Arguments for and against boiling were presented at an annual 

 "Cleaning Shells" night of the Hawaiian Malacological Society. It boils 

 down to this: There is no harm in boiling if the shell is put into cold 

 water which is then brought to the boiling point. But a cowry plunged 

 into boiling water almost invariably will come out with a checked surface 

 as the enamel is cracked into a checkered pattern of a thousand intersecting 

 fine lines. Those who advocate boiling say it toughens the flesh so that it 

 may be more readily pulled from the shell. 



Advocates of the "no boiling" method say that it just makes extra 

 work. In the first place, the animal is attached to the shell in only one 

 small spot, directly under the spire. The spire is hard to locate in older 

 specimens as it is covered by succeeding layers of enamel, but in young or 

 juvenile specimens it is very noticeable. Bearing this in mind, in specimens 

 large enough to warrant it, cut the animal in two by drawing a razor 

 blade from end to end of the aperture. One half can be pulled out readily, 

 then to get out the half which is fastened to the shell, take a sizeable piece 



(16) 



