Gijs C. Kronenberg wrote:
 
> It might be a good idea to check the list in Ponder's reveision of the
> Xenophoridae. He lists all recent and fossil taxa of Xenophoridae, and
> gives references to the original descriptions of all taxa.
>
> Gijs
>
 
Good Day All,
 
I just returned from a great trip down the west coast of the USA (or at least
half way down).  I finally met Dan and Hiromi Yoshimoto; two of the nicest
people you will ever  meet - even for shellers, who are generally a cut above
anyway.  We hit a few beaches, collected a few shells, visited Tom Rice's
museum, and shopped at three shell stores recommended by Dan.  Not much time for
collecting as we traveled 4,200 miles in 6 days (plus 2 days just wandering
around Seattle and attending wedding type events) and much of it was winding,
twisting roads through mountains.  As I sit here now I can actually see the
shells I did not buy that I should have.  Maybe next time - or after I win the
LOTO!
 
I came back to 289 messages waiting for me and it seems I really missed some
good, juicy stuff on the old Conch-L!  As the sleeze-ball lawyer on "Allie
McBeal" says, "Bygones."  Back to the trip.  Dan and Hiromi have a beautiful
home and a nicely presented shell collection (amid many other fascinating things
like two aquariums with living mollusks and sea anemones, including an always
hungry Forreria belcheri as big as my prized but very dead specimen).  I wanted
to see his Xenophora collection which was very nice and included a pair of X.
pallidulas attached by a sponge - making a case for the xenophora doing the
attaching rather than the sponge.  I was specifically looking for a X. pallidula
with a sponge for my collection but it was not to be on this trip, maybe next
time.
 
Our quick visit with the Dan and Hiromi was a real high point of this trip
(especially after driving up his very, very steep driveway!).  Another high
point was Tom Rice's place in Port Gamble Washington.  His museum is much more
than shells and was really fun to wander around.  We did not get to meet Tom but
we spent quite a while looking at his displays.  His set up for the family
Olividae is truly unique.  I bought a few books and some shells, but now I
realize I missed a couple of books and a shell!  So, Tom, if you are reading
this I will get back to you privately this next week to correct this oversight!!
 
Anyway, I am tagging on to this Xenophora bit to ask if anyone has Ponder's book
and would like to sell or trade for it.  And, in case anyone is interested, a
new book on Xenophora is due out in mid 1999, by Kurt Kreipl.
 
Now I'm off to catalog some new shells - beats any TV show ever made.
 
Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico