New years greetings to the list from sunny Alberta where i am visiting my dad.  I've enjoyed being a part of this august crowd of Conchologists, and here's wishing us all many more years together in a virtual manner!!

I have often wondered if certain specimens of Xenophora have individual preferences, genetic or learned, regarding the items they use for disguse: it certainly seems that some specimens wind up with very similar attachments, while others are less selective, and individuals collected at the same time and place often have quite different overall appearances.  To elaborate on Linda's introduction of this topic, has any research or detailed observation ever been done regarding this fascinating (well, at least to me!!) matter?

From the last day of 2002 in the Great White North,
Ross m.