Boy, looking at the date of that message makes me think that some of us really are living in the future. It's still only Feb 2nd here in Los Alamos. Anyway, why not try to leave the shell as it is, and write up the descriptions of all the sealife involved in this little community you collected. It can prove to be a much more interesting piece because it hints at the inter-relationships of life. You may have to soak it in alcohol and then let it dry completely to keep the smel from becoming ugly (or would that be uglier?) All the best, Patti ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com