Thank you, all that replied with a "real" answer.  I knew Art was "trying"
to be funny...

Bill

P.S. Art, are you the "Shell Answer Man" ?

 -----Original Message-----
From:   Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]  On
Behalf Of Kev Lamprell
Sent:   Saturday, June 17, 2000 7:11 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: new to group

Nice one Art
Kev

Art Weil wrote:

> Dear Bill;-
>     Your friend is absolutely right. Shells, which are calcarious
cytoplasm,
> are created from the  (mostly) large seaweed fronds. The fronds break off,
and
> on their way to the bottom of the sea, curl to the right in the Nothern
> Hemisphere and to the left (or sinistralia) in the Southern Hemisphere.
The
> individual protoblasts are replaced by calcium carbonate molecules which
> inhabit all salt waters. On reaching the bottom, the new shell-like
creatures
> are subjected to tides and tsunamis which wash them ashore in places such
as
> Florida and New Jersey.
>     The Answer Man
>