Dear Conch-lers,

I have been recently in Eastern Canada and found the
most productive spot in Cumberland Cove, Prince Edward
Island, few kilometers east of the bridge to the
mainland.  The beach is in front of a campground.

On august 10th, heavy winds brought on the beach lot of
shells, especially very big Lunatia heros, Modiolus
modiolus, loose valves of Spisula solidissima and few
other species I can't recall at the moment.

It was striking to observe hundreds of Nassarius sp. in
intertidal sand.

It was an interesting place, since it was the only one
with some shellgrit on the beach and in pools in the
intertidal area.  I collected a bag of it but still
have not had time to sort it out.
Anyway, it seems to contain microshells.

All other places visited for shelling during my trip,
Tadoussac (Quebec), Cape Breton Island and Digby (Nova
Scotia), just produced few species and absolutely no
shellgrit.

Tadoussac beach (in front of the "Dunes") was full of
Mya arenaria, Mesodesma arctatum, Littorina saxatilis
(on rocks).  I also found a worn specimen of Amauropsis
islandica.

Cape Breton Island beaches are almost sterile (but the
inland park and coastal views are superb).

Digby beaches had the omnipresent Mya arenaria, Macoma
balthica (also some nice pink specimens),  Nucella
lapillus (I found it only here), few Littorina.  Pretty
poor, isn't it?  It was striking I was not able to
obtain in the city of sea scallop a complete specimen
of Placopecten magellanicus, even looking in the
harbour, asking to local fishermen or gift shops.  It
seems they clean shells in the open sea arriving at the
harbour only with the soft parts. I have come back home
just with two loose beached valves.

I actually realize most of the species cited might be
common ones, but for an european collector for the
first time on north american beaches it was interesting
to find them too.

Paolo G. Albano
Bologna, Italy

P.S.: my deepest condolences and friendship feelings to
all the American people.