Harry,
What timely newsworthy information!  When the impossibly colored red-violet Helicostyla festiva (among other names)first re-emerged in the late 1990's on dealers tables as you know there was discussion as to its locale.  Donald Dan early on had some of those shells collected by the selfsame Ifugaos tribesmen of Northern Luzon as mentioned in your story.  He related to me that tribe had a fondness for western shirts, probably flowered, and would proudly wear them into town, and as the only piece of clothing they were wearing.  That story was not told me, however, on the Kalends of April.

Alan Gettleman
Merritt Island, FL

---- Harry Lee <[log in to unmask]> wrote: 
> Dear Listers,
> 
> I think this timely bit of intelligence, which was first brought to 
> my attention 42 years ago and may have escaped your notice, is worthy 
> of immediate consideration:
> 
> Hebert, C.H., 1975. Flying snails!!! Shell-O-Gram 15(4): 3. April 
> (after April 12). 
> <<http://www.jaxshells.org/hebert.pdf>http://www.jaxshells.org/hebert.pdf>
> 
> Harry
> 
> There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt 
> of in your philosophy [Hamlet 1.5.167-8].
> 
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