Dear Bill, There is a specimen of Crossata ventricosa available from Femorale at present. www.Femorale.com.br I think?? geoff >From: Bill Fenzan <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: Conchologists of America List <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Collecting ideas? >Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 22:12:29 -0500 > >I am running out of ideas for ways to get specimens of a shell labeled as >"moderately common" in the Compendium of Seashells by Abbott & Dance. The >shell I am trying to get is Bursa ventricosa (Broderip, 1833). It is >reported to live subtidally along a range from Ecuador to northern Chile. >In the 2001 edition (19th)of Tom Rice's price list the price for this shell >is listed at $15.00. Here are the things I have done so far in an attempt >to get specimens: > >- Contacted a variety of dealers (especially dealers in South America) and >asked them to search inventory. Two remembered having them in stock a long >time ago. Reminded dealers at the last two COA bourses. > >- The website http://pagina.de/conchas has a picture of a specimen under >the "Rare Shells" link. I sent e-mail to the lady who owns the site asking >for help, but have not had an answer in response. > >- I have looked in Rice's 1995-1996 list of dealers and written a letter to >both Jorge Basily Santa Maria (who also wrote a book illustrating a >specimen of this species) and S. A. Macsa of Peru. These are the only >dealers listed located in the range of B. ventricosa. No response, yet. > >- I have responded to a posting on Molluscs Net from a lady offering shells >for sale from the right area. Her initial e-mail back to me said she would >have access to specimens in a couple of months. After time had passed, I >sent a reminder to her. No response. > >- I also posted a want ad on Molluscs Net, twice. No response. > >Other ideas I have had seem to be marginal at best. I have spoken to a >dealer who went to Chile to obtain shells. He was unsuccessful in finding >B. ventricosa there. This made me pessimistic about travel to the region >as a way to solve the problem. I have not had much luck as a field >collector, nor do I speak Spanish. > >I can still write to shell clubs in the region and local museums to see if >they can put me in touch with someone willing to sell or trade this >species. Even if I could get info on how the shell has been found in the >past (which local fishermen found it, at what depth, etc.), it would be a >step in the right direction. > >Are there any approaches I have overlooked? > >William J. Fenzan >401 Sinclair St. >Norfolk, VA 23505-4359 >USA > >wjf401(at)earthlink.net > >Phone: (757) 489-4736 > > _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp