Hi Phil,

Since you know me you realize I don't go much for micros.  However, while
diving, I do pick up old bottles that are filled with sand. I like to empty
out the sand just to see what is inside. Sometimes fully developed bivalves
are trapped inside.  Last week I brought up a bottle and when I emptied it I
noticed three tiny shells about 4mm.  Two specimens are the same and one is
different.  I have yet to I.D. them.  Maybe you can help with that. Another
spot I used to find micros was on the fillet board when I worked on the
charter dive boat ''Westerly''.  When we made it out to Begg Rock off the
west end of San Nicholas Island, the passsengers would bring up limits of
large Crassodoma gigantea. They would clean them on our fillet board. Since
the gigantea were covered with all sorts of marine growth, all kinds of
little creatures would fall out. It was fun to search throught the marl to
see what was there. I would always find micros. At one time I had a little
bottle full of them which, unfortunately, has disappeared.

Adios,
Paul

----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Liff-Grieff" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2003 10:28 AM
Subject: micro shell collecting tips needed


> Dear conch-L'ers,
>
> I am writing an article for our shell club's bulletin
> on micro marine shell collecting.  As I am a relative
> newcomer to this particular aspect of shell
> collecting, I thought it could be interesting to hear
> from all of you who have developed your own special
> techniques.  (Any of your suggestions used in this
> article will, of course, be appropriately attributed).
>
> So, my questions are:
>
> 1)  What are your prefered types of localities for
> finding micro shells?
>
> 2) What is the strangest place you have found micros?
>
> 3) What special tools do you use? (and, of course, how
> do you use them)?
>
> 4) Where can one find the most productive grunge; what
> kinds of situations result in a good concentration of
> micro mollusks?
>
> 5) How do you store and display your shells?
>
>
> I welcome learning from the list's experts and passing
> this information on to others.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Phil Liff-Grieff
>
>
> =====
> Phil Liff-Grieff
> 2447 Kemper Avenue
> La Crescenta, CA  91214
> (818) 541-1232
> [log in to unmask]
>