Hi Alan,

I've always used heavy paper with the highest "rag", or cotton content I
can find, and a rapidograph-type pen with permanent waterproof ink. These
labels have even soaked with shells in a bleach solution for a time with
no ill effect on the writing (but the paper itself yellowed and became
brittle). Pencil will also work well for the labels if you'd rather not
bother with the pen.

Another alternative might be to use pressure-sensitive aluminum labels
which you "write" on, leaving an impression on the tag. I do not know if
any possible subsequent corrosion on part of the aluminum tag will affect
any shells in the bag, but if kept in a "tag bag", as you have been
doing, I don't see any problems.

I'm wondering if ziplocks with the white label field on them hold ink any
better than on the plastic alone?

Any other ideas out there?

Ken Zentzis
Wichita, Kansas USA



Alan Gettleman wrote:

> Hello,
> Hopefully a simple question to answer.  When collecting in the field I
> place shells in zip lock bags pending cleaning, and use a 'permanent
> marker' to annotate location number.  These numbers on the bags often
> faded, so I used the same marker to note the number on a slip of paper
> and put that into a small ziplok bag and insert into the larger bag.
> Often any moisture getting into the small bags also faded those
> numbers.  I know museums have written labels that are always in liquid
> in their 'wet' collections.  What kind of marker, what kind of paper
> (that you can easily obtain and is easy to use in the field)?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Alan Gettleman
> Merritt Island, FL