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Collectifig American Seashells 61
other collectors. Exchanging, although worthwhile, is time-consuming, and
great care must be taken that the upkeep of your main collection does not
suffer.
Excellent specimens with largely reliable locality data may be obtained
from a number of dealers. Their prices are often high, but this is justified,
at least with regard to locally dredged material, by the high cost of operating
boats and replacing dredges. Like antiques and costume jewelry, the prices
of shells vary with what people will pay.
Shipping. When sending shells on exchange or to some other collector
for identification, always include a fully inscribed label with each lot. Most
shells are best protected by loose wrapping in old newspaper. Small or fragile
shells should be boxed with cotton. Mail or express shipments up to twenty
pounds will travel safely in cardboard cartons obtained from the grocery
store. The top and bottom should be padded with two inches of crumpled
newspaper. Small lots are conveniently sent in mailing tubes. It is inadvisable
to send living snails through the mails, and foreign imports of living land and
fresh-water mollusks are prohibited by law except by prior permission from
The Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service or from The U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Washington 25, D.C.
Identification services. Besides popular books and a few professional
papers available in public libraries, there are few places where amateurs may
turn for expert determinations. Fortunately, not a few private collectors are
even more familiar with their local faunas than are the professional workers.
Although some charge small fees for their services, most are only too happy
to identify your "sticklers." It is customary to name only material which has
been sorted and which has accurate and detailed locality data, and to send a
sufficient series so that the identifier may retain a sample for his efforts. It is
a breach of etiquette to send material before asking if the identifier is willing
to undertake the task. Sending photographs is highly unreliable and is tantamount
to saying you do not trust the specimens out of your hands. Some
museums will identify specimens if vou are unable to do so after serious
effort, and this, of course, can be done only if the curator or research worker
has the time. Never send more than five species at a time. It is surprising how
many people abuse this service, purely voluntary on the part of the expert,
by sending unsorted, data-less shells. It is more important that the profes-
sional spend his time in caring for his vast collections, doing his research and
writing^ for the benefit of all, than in identifying for the few. Medical work-
ers, agriculturalists, archaeologists, fisheries men, ecologists and other profes-
sional malacologists already demand a great deal of his time.