Hi, Everyone!

This reference to Velella gave me an idea for a club
program, viz. "Interesting things you might find
beachcombing that are NOT molluscan."  Any suggestions?
 And then I will research them on the Web.

Thanks,
Linda, Program Chairman
Greater St. Louis Shell Club


-------------------------------------
On Sat, 10 May 2003 17:04:42 -0400
  Paul Monfils <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Hi Stan,
>
>A bivalve will open when cooked only if it is alive.  If
>it dies on the beach, the adductor muscle often relaxes,
>allowing the shell to open. However, sometimes bivalves
>die on the beach and bake in the sun without opening. At
>that point, cooking them won't open them. If they are a
> form that seals tightly on all edges, like Venus clams,
>it can be very difficult to get them open without
>chipping the shell. However, for forms which don't seal
>completely, like Pectens and pearl oysters, soaking them
>in water to which a bit of liquid dish detergent has been
>added will often re-soften the dried soft parts and allow
>the shell to open. Also, this treatment may make the
>adductor muscle actually detach from one or the other
>valve of the shell. Lower the shell into the solution and
>turn it until you see a stream of bubbles coming out of
>the shell. Hold it in that position until the bubbles
>stop. The idea is to get as much air out of the shell as
>possible, and thereby as much solution as possible into
>the shell.  The shell should sink in the solution.  You
>may have to soak it a couple of days.
>
>If you couldn't find online information on Velella, it
>may be because you were misspelling the name. Here are a
>couple of sites:
>
>http://jellieszone.com/velella.htm
>
>http://morro-bay.com/docents/curt-beebe/velella/
>
>Regards,
>Paul M.

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