Page:American Seashells (1954).djvu/85

Rh 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 you 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 professional 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 workers, agriculturalists, archaeologists, fisheries men, ecologists and other professional malacologists already demand a great deal of his time.