Hello,

        Just wondering, how can someone tell how "fresh" a shell is?  I
have seen some beautiful Liguus shells that were collected many years
back that look as if they are still alive.  I would assume one would need
to test a part of the shell to determine it's "length of death".  Any
way, just wondering.


                            Rick.

On Tue, 16 Oct 2001 13:17:29 -0400 Chris K Takahashi
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
> Aloha Ross,
> Another reason to halt collecting pulcherima was to help prevent
> de-forrest-
> ation which caused soil run-off of top soil into the ocean.
> According to US
> Fish & Wildlife any protected species collected before the ban date
> took
> effect is allowed exposure within country limits. If confiscated
> designated
> experts are called in to determine how "fresh" the specimens are.
>                                                Mahalo! Chris K
> Takahashi
>