This post is for non-purist beachcombers only. All others, use that delete key before you waste more precious time.--What? You're still reading? Delete this immediately and go back to your shells! <whew> Now that we're alone, let's talk about beachcombing. "The Drifting Seed", v. 5, no. 2 (16 pages) has been published. Among other things, it reports on these items. The Fourth Annual International Sea-Bean Symposium will be held on October 22-24, 1999 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, USA. The symposium will include displays, collections, identification by expert Pete Zies, a beachcombing contest, panel discussions, etc. For more information, call Sue Bradley toll-free at 1-877-623-2699. The classic book on the subject, "World Guide to Tropical Drift Seeds and Fruits", by Charles R. Gunn and John V. Dennis, has been reprinted. To order a copy, contact: Krieger Publishing Company, P.O. Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542, USA; telephone 1-800-724-0025 or (407) 724-9542; email [log in to unmask] . The list price is USD 28.50; for US and Canada shipping by UPS, add 5.00 for the first copy and 1.50 for each additional copy. Florida residents, add sales tax (6 percent). Outside the US and Canada, add USD 10.00 per copy via USPS Global or surface mail, depending on location. Payment must be received in advance, by US checks in US funds, VISA, Discover, or MasterCard. This book was previously discussed on Conch-L and several people expressed a desire to buy a copy, but the book was long out of print. Now you have a second chance to buy this very useful guide to identification of drift seeds. For seed identification, contact Pete Zies, 613 Rodney Drive, Altamonte Springs, FL 32701, USA; email [log in to unmask] For information on "The Drifting Seed" newsletter, contact editor Cathie Katz, P.O. Box 510366, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951 USA; email [log in to unmask] Andrew K. Rindsberg Geological Survey of Alabama