Dear Conch-L:
I posted this earlier today, in response to Helmut, from my computer at work,
but the server apparently wasn't sending out e-mail today - I still haven't
received it.  But Ross just brought up the same point again, so I'll repost it
here, and you'll understand if and when you receive the posting again from the
other source.  Strombus canarium is not named after canaries.  The name
canarium refers to dogs (same root as the english word canine).  I might be
mistaken, but I THINK the Canary Islands were also named after dogs - anybody
know?  Anyway, the significance of "dog" in the name of a shell traces back to
an old English term meaning commonplace, or ordinary.  Therefore, "dog conch"
actually means "conch that is ordinary, nothing special, dime a dozen, b-o-r-
i-n-g".  This term finds its way into some other shell names, even when the
scientific name doesn't have any canine conotation.  For example Dog Winkle or
Dog Whelk (= Nucella lapillus); Dog Cockle (= Glycymeris glycymeris).
I hope somebody can confirm some of this, because I'm relying on memory from
the distant past - or alternatively, maybe someone can tear it to shreds -
that's okay too, as long as we can all learn from it. :-)
 
Paul M.