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 rest in a pot of fresh water and slowly
bring it to a boil. Let them cool in the water slowly to prevent
the glossy shells from cracking. When cool, your bivalves will be
gaping open; simply scrape them clean. Your univalves will be
more difficult; remove the animal with a crocket hook or other
piece of bent wire, turning it gently with the spiral; try to get
it out whole to save yourself trouble. Save the univalve's operculum
and slice it off the muscle that holds it. It will preserve
indefinitely and is a valuable part of the shell.
Clean the shell's exterior by scraping it gently with a dull knife
or nail file, then soaking it in a Clorox solution (1 cup to 2
quarts water) for two hours. Some will be covered with an ugly
skin--scientists keep this intact and you should try to. The best
collection has two of each species--one with and one without the
epidermis.
After your clean shells have dried (in shade, not sun), go over
them with a rag dampened in light oil. This insures preservation
and restores their natural luster. Every three months or so, rub
them with oil again--their most delicate colors will remain
brilliant for years. Don't ever use shellac, lacquer or varnish.
Get a reference book from your library and identify your shells.
Keep an account of when and where you collected them.
Store your shells in closed containers to protect them from
sunlight and dust. Almost any set of small drawers or a cabinet
will do. Matchboxes or pillboxes are excellent for small specimens.
For display purposes, glass-covered cases are best to prevent
handling of the shells. A shell's beauty is often deceptive. Many
unattractive and drab shells are worth hundreds of dollars while
the most colorful are frequently valued at a dollar or less. The
rarity of a species determines its value. A truly valuable shell
may come from deep, inaccessible waters or remote lands--or it may
be one of an extinct species. A Slit Shell collected 100 fathoms
down in waters off the British West Indies is valued at $1000.
Another undersea treasure, the Glory-Of-The-Seas, was first found
in 1771 and one time would bring the conchologist $1500. The
greatest rarities, however, are truly valueless and are not for
sale.
. . .And there it is, the fascinating hobby of shell collecting.
It's a lot of work--but a lot of fun, too.
[figure captions]
Take a SIEVE. Or an orange sack. Besides carrying your shells,
it may help you catch them. A few pint BOTTLES will hold delicate
ones.
MASK (or goggles) is essential for looking underwater. Bathing
suit or old clothes, of course. High shoes (or sneakers)--never
go barefooted! Heavy cloth GLOVES. Watch out for sunburn!
GIG or fish spear (if you're going South) to keep pesky crabs,
sea urchins off. CLAM DIGGING HOE or trowel for burrowing shells.
VINEGAR for first aid, in case you're stuck by urchin's spines.
CHISEL and HAMMER to get the clingers, spatula for frail limpets.
You may find other hardware handy, but these are basic.