Dear Barbara,

It is always good to welcome a new member on the list. Australians and New
Zealanders are a small, but growing, minority. Let us be heard!

You comment on the age of fellow collectors. We've had this discussion
before, but basically, what it comes down to is that club or active
membership trails off severely when people are in their childrearing and
carreermaking years, for obvious reasons. Only a few of us hang on, later
to be joined by the other folks who gave up for a number of years. I am at
35, not the youngest in the club, but definitely the only one in the club
with small children. The people who are old(er) are a very resourceful lot.
They have experience, time, money and a lot to offer.

I wouldn't worry too much about your lost collection. I had a similar
experience, but when we travelled and I was unable to take my collection, I
stored it. I was very happy with the collection at the time, but after four
years and more collecting my ideas of what is a good shell had changed, and
when I finally saw it again, I decided to keep only a fraction of it - it
wasn't so good after all!

We all hope to hear more from you in the future

Patty Jansen
WWW: http://www.capricornica.com

Capricornica Publications               on-line natural history bookshop
P.O. Box 345
Lindfield NSW 2070
Australia

phone/fax: 02 9415 8098 international: +61 2 9415 8098
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