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Craft shells
Craft shells Pago Pago Harbor is a shelling area with similar reef conditions but one which lacks pounding waves. Also many areas have been dredged to about 15 feet with the material being used to construct the coastal road years ago. Reefs extend from the entrance down both sides of the harbor nearly 2 miles.
The waters are relatively quiet and sea shells abound in several places. For me, the most productive was the reef immediately in front of the Pago Intercontinental Hotel and the adjacent Utulei reef.
In analyzing the table (page 11) several aspects require further comment. These are included by species as follows.
C. argus. We did not collect any live specimens although, on several beaches, eroded specimens could be found. We tried in vain, but C. argus hides [in] its habitat well. We did acquire four specimens in collector's condition from native sellers.
C. asellus. In nearly a year, we had collected only three live specimens. Then one day at Utulei reef in about a foot of water and no more than 10 feet from shore, we collected eight specimens in about 2 minutes. So many were found here in a subsequent trip that it necessitated choosing the better specimens. Thinking that this might be a breeding aggregation because a few were on egg masses, we did not disturb the area further.
C. bistrinotata, C. cicercula and C. globulus. These we comment on as a group because of their conchological similarities. These "chick pea" sea shells defied our pursuit as no live individuals were collected. However, fresh beach specimens could be collected with a fair amount of regularity at Utulei beach.
C. cribraria. This is another sea shell that eluded us although other collectors found several immaculate live specimens. As beach specimens this sea shell was more in evidence.
Craft shells Recently a colleague and I, from the University of Florida, spent a week on Bimini doing research on immunity of lemon and nurse sharks. When time permitted we jumped in a boat and did some fishing and shelling just a short distance from where we worked at the Lerner Marine Laboratory. My shelling time was very limited and thus I am by no means an expert on the shells of this Island. However, I can't resist telling of the fantastic shelling I found there at a spot picked completely at random. The depth of water ranged from 2 to 15 feet. In three-quarters of an hour I had about ten nice size Strombus gigas (Queen conch), ten S. costatus (Milk conch), two S. raninus (Hawk-winged conch) and two as yet unidentified shells. Naturally all but the most perfect specimens were put back.
As we were getting ready to return to shore a "Conch Fisherman" pulled alongside with his "boat load" of S. gigas (See below). These were destined to become conch chowder or conch fritters, both dishes of which are delicious. If you are ever on Bimini and would like to try some conch be sure to stop at Jimmy Pitts' place called "The Island Woman". He will serve you conch as it should be served.
The few species of shells I collected on the one short outing are certainly not the only types found on Bimini and you can be sure that as soon as possible I'll be back to chase down the other conch, helmets, Terebra, etc.
I would like to take this opportunity to send my sincere Alohas to my former Philippines shell-collecting buddies: Helen and Don Hemmes and to Lyman Higa, a really great guy (Amen brudda, ED.)
Having entered upon the hobby of malacology rather late in life I may be reporting an incident which is of common knowledge to all you old-timers. Nevertheless, it was of unusual interest to me, so I will relate the tale here.
A recent shelling expedition to Onekahaka Beach in Hilo turned up, among other things, 4 very nice specimens of Conus textile Linnaeus, plus a couple of the very common (live) Strombus maculatus Nuttall.
After collecting, I usually place all shells into a rather large container of sea water so that I may observe them when they decide to come out of their shells. By the time I had arrived home most were actively poking about. One Strombus maculatus came upon the siphon of the Conus textile and immediately went into violent convolutions, writhing and twisting, and using his operculum as a foot to propel himself. At first I thought he had been stung and was in his death throes, but when he reached the other side of the container he acted in a normal way, and was very obviously still alive. Very shortly thereafter, the identical thing happened with another cone and another Strombus. This time, I was aware that the Strombus was using the operculum as a means to get the heck out of there as fast as possible. It was somewhat reminiscent of seeing photographs and movies of the frantic efforts the scallops make when they are exposed to a star fish.
To me, this was a discovery that the operculum doesn't merely serve to close off the aperture of this particular shell (and I'm wondering if many others might not fall into this category) but also serves as a means of vigorous propulsion to get out of harm's way.
Thank you for your excellent bulletins. I look forward to reading them each month and have obtained some excellent information, plus some particularly interesting books recommended from your lists.
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