Dear CONCH-L subscribers: I recently joined & want to introduce myself:
Christopher J. Stalder from Orlando, Florida. In May, 1985 I received a
B.S. in Agriculture from the Univ. of FL, major: Agronomy (field crops &
soil science) & have always had great interest in learning about
geology, plants, animals & fungi. Growing up in Central Florida, our
family took many fine vacations to FL beaches (especially Lido Key in
Sarasota, FL and Sanibel Island). My sister, Laurel & I joined the
Central Florida Shell Club as children in 1973 & 1974 and really enjoyed
learning & field trips with our leader, Mr. Harold Phelps. As children
we often visited with Mrs. Burton, curator of the Beale-Maltbie Shell
Museum in Winter Park, FL and enjoyed learning about her wonderful
exhibits (unfortunately this collection was moved to the Florida State
Museum collection in Gainesville, FL). I always have sand in my shoes &
can't wait to get back to another beach for exploring. Last year I
joined COA and Doris Underwood, membership director, encouraged me to
reunite with the Central Florida Shell Club, which I have been enjoying
tremendously. In January I enjoyed attending my first shell show of the
Astronaut Shell Club in the auditorium in Melbourne, FL. In May I
entered 3 exhibits: one on all sorts of variations in Strombus alatus
Gmelin, 1791, one of shells collected one morning in the shallows off
Lido Key in Sarasota, and a single specimen of Conus spurius with
several distinct heart shapes on the body whorl (in the Central FL Shell
Show). It is great meeting with all the shelling aficionados &
exchanging ideas and showing our collections. Currently I am working on
identifying & labeling fossil shells I collected as a youngster in
Sarasota County. I would be interested in hearing from individuals
interested in exchanging extra specimens from their collections for some
of Florida's attractive shells. Feel free to email me
:[log in to unmask] I look forward to hearing your ideas &
adventures in shelling. Sincerely, Chris Stalder