dear frends,
Can someone please explain what USDA stands for ? thnak you
Gunasena de silva.
Colombo / SRI LANKA.

At 03:07 AM 12/8/99 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi:
>
>I received a copy of the Conchologist journal a couple of days ago.
>Finally finished reading it last night.  Will definitely be
>subscribing!  Can't believe I've found a group of people who actually
>collect seashells as adults (LOL)!!
>
>Until I read the magazine and joined this group, I never really
>thought much about the critters that create these shells.  What role
>do they play in the ocean's ecosystems?
>
>The only shell I was really familiar with is Queen Conch.  When I
>lived in Utila, Spanish Honduras (island off the coast), I used to eat
>conch soup on a regular basis.  Have never eaten scallops or oysters.
>(No desire to either!!!!)  Am now allergic to any seafood with iodine
>in it which rules out shrimp, lobster, shellfish, etc.
>
>I picked up several shell books at the local university library (go
>MSU).  This is an exciting new hobby for me that mixes well with my
>physical limitations.
>
>I've been doing a bit of research but haven't located any information
>about shellfish in Michigan.  Other than the zebra mussel, do we have
>any?  Are they endangered or protected?
>--
>Diana Pederson, Lansing, Michigan, United States, USDA Zone 5
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