Last week, I visited the island of Bornholm for a paleontologic meeting. This is a Danish island that is far removed from the remainder of Denmark. Bornholm is in the Baltic Sea at roughly the same distance from Sweden, Germany, and Poland. The beach shells (arcs, mussels) are adult but very small, and I was told that they are stunted by living in brackish water. The Baltic Sea is the world's largest expanse of brackish water, and the seawater around Bornholm is drinkable, though not palatable. It was peculiar to see freshwater-loving plants growing on the cliff and upper beach. Unfortunately, I did not have time to collect shells; we were on the beach to look at trace fossils in the seacliffs. The island is a resort, and ferries ply the waters of the Baltic all year round, carrying cars, busses, and passengers to enjoy a few days in a quiet place. I have never seen anything like these ferries in the United States; they are large, clean, proud, and capable of carrying a thousand people at a time. People can buy a berth in a cabin for one, two, or four, or sleep in the bunkhouse, or else they sit in the cafeteria or enjoy the view from one of the many decks. The ferries also have restaurants where one can linger for hours over smoerrebroed (the Danish equivalent of smorgasbord, a buffet meal) and good wine while watching the water and sky. English is the second language of most Danes, so communication was not a problem. The meeting was held in a pension (hotel) converted from an old windmill, Limensgade Moelle, whose proprietor teaches at the University of Copenhagen. She runs the place largely for the benefit of scientific visitors. The bedrooms were basic but comfortable, and visitors had access to a suite of common rooms as well. Meals were included. Located in the midst of wheat fields, the Mill is a quiet place where one can concentrate on work, reading, or a conference. Everyone left saying that they would come back someday. The Danes are generally a softspoken people, but I did witness one exception. Just before the ferry left Roenne harbor in Bornholm, it carried many teenagers who happily shouted school slogans back and forth to their friends on the wharf. The well-wishers on the wharf burst into song, apparently a school anthem, in beautiful harmony. The spirit of hilarity continued as the ferry left its moorings and the crowd left on the land followed the big ship along the wharf, to say goodbye until the last moment. The shell collecting is probably not very rich on this island in terms of number of species. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience to see the dwarfed fauna firsthand, the people are friendly, and if you like fish, the food is wonderful. I'm already planning my next visit to Denmark. Andrew K. Rindsberg Geological Survey of Alabama