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Earring
Earring We seldom get Recent Find reports from the north shore areas. But this month President Aline O'Brien's nephew, Paul Petschos, found a live Conus retifer measuring 2-1/2 inches in the seaweed in less than two feet of water. This out at Sharks Cove on the North Shore of Oahu. And to think of all the coral I've turned over looking for this shell in deep water!!
Still later, during the turbulent Crusades many pilgrims identified themselves by a badge of honor a valve of Pecten maximus.
Shell collecting as a hobby arose in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Growing countries of the Old World were sending out explorers to discover and explore new lands. These explorers picked up many natural objects along the way, especially shells. During these years it became fashionable for noble ladies to collect shells, and many gentlemen started collecting shells as a means of gaining attention and a common interest with the ladies. [photo - uncredited]
Not so ancient Philippines
used a stone weight, a
shiny cowry (Cypraea
mauritiana) to attract
octopus, which were then
caught on the bone hook.
On South Sea islands, meanwhile, life went on much as it had for many years. Cypraea moneta, and C. annulus were common currency; a native would wear his sea shells as ornaments to show off his wealth. In Alaska and California Dentalium pretiosum, collected from the "underwater barb," was used as money. The ligua was the highest denomination of currency it consisted of 25 Dentalium strung together and equaled 50 English pounds! In Fiji, the badge of chieftanship was Cypraea aurantium. C. asellus was used by natives for doll's eyes. In Australia and the Indian Ocean, large examples of Melo amphora were used as water pitchers and vessels. In Japan, Charonia tritonis played an integral part in several religious rituals as a ceremonial trumpet. Xancus pyrum became, and is to this day, the sacred shell of India. There this species and sinistral examples of some Voluta are mounted in gold and placed on temple altars. Nautilus pompilius is believed by some Polynesian people to possess mysterious powers of keeping evil away from houses on whose roofs it is strung. Some island natives string Ovula ovum in front of their canoes in the belief that the shells will keep them from getting lost.
Today the purposes for which shells are utilized are so many and so varied that one cannot hope to enumerate them all. Shells are still used for ornamental work jewelry, fancy boxes, inlays in musical instruments and wall panels, and cameos. The legend of the "sailing nautilus" has inspired poets such as Oliver Wendell Holmes. And Cuba's Polymita picta has been used by artists and textile manufacturers as sources of ideas from which to work out appealing color combinations.
Earring Back in Philippines, Haleiwa again yields its treasures, as Roy Tanabe found a perfect Strombus hawaiensis in two feet of water. Unfortunately it was dead, but in excellent condition. Roy also found a second dead and faded S. Philippinesensis in the same area. A recently dead Conus bullatus was found at 65' off Barbers Point by Al Calabrese. Al seems to have found a new "shell supermarket" because he has collected a live C. nussatella in 15' of water while free diving off Makaha. Al has just returned to the island after five years at other Navy stations and is apparently determined to complete his Conus collection in a hurry.
Bobby Gutierrez, Jack Uyemura and Joe Robinson collected a total of 13 C. tigris schilderiana off Kahuku recently. These shells were all in 40 to 50 feet of water.
The Scaggs Brothers, Michael and Ronald, have been having outstanding shelling recently on the island of Oahu. Included in their finds are: Cypraea vitellus, C. chinensis, a live C. semiplota in 6 feet of water, Conus bandanus, C. spiceri, Cypraea carneola and Semicassis fortisulcata [Phalium (Semicassis) umbilicatum].
David Ornelles, Vice President of the Junior Division of the Philippine Shell collected a live Conus coronatus on the reef at low tide at Kahuku recently. This is a very beautiful and quite unusual specimen for Philippines.
Ron Macomber recently collected two Conus marmoreus bandanus off Kewalo Basin at 90 and 120 feet depths. These are unusually large specimens, measuring 5-3/8" and 5-5/8" respectively.
Al Calabreese collected another C. auricomus at Makaha, and a live Cypraea lynx from Fort Kam in five feet of water. Al also collected a C. chinensis at Pupukea.
Bobby Guttierez has come up with a beautiful live Murex elongatus from 60 feet at Sunset Beach. This exceptionally nice shell is 21/2" long.
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