At 09:15 AM 11/25/98 -0000, Ferreter wrote:
 
snipped
 
> the numbers were wiped out by collectors who had
>no restrictions . the real answer of course is self restraint but this idea
>is lost in the world we live in ,,,,,,ferreter
 
I seldom post to this list because I am a collector with not  much
scientific knowledge - just a love of shells.  But I take exception to this
remark.  I don't think it is true.  There probably are shellers who show no
"self-restraint," but I don't think even they could make the impact on
shell populations that loss of habitat and pollution does!!!  I don't
believe it is the greed of the individual sheller so much as the greed of
land developers and all other large companies that seem to be able to get
around environmental laws whenever they choose.
 
Joan, in Huntsville