aking, half the natural
length of the shell depicted; and the shell photographed, although in
most cases an average full-sized specimen, in some instances was smaller
than the average.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER II

COLLECTING AND CLEANING SHELLS.

Shells are described as live and dead shells. Live shells are those
found with the animal enclosed, and are more likely to be perfect in
form and colour than dead shells. Dead shells found amongst rocks are
nearly always battered and worn, and useless from the collector's point
of view. Live shells are found below high water mark, among rocks, or in
the sand, or amongst seaweed and marine grasses.

Wait till a storm from the sea is ended, and then, if the wind is
blowing from the land, a rich harvest of live and dead shells will be
found on the sandy beaches and amongst the seaweed and wrack that comes
ashore. Many of the smaller shells will be found amongst the leaves and
roots of kelp. Start early in the morning, or pigs, rats, and seabirds
will have destroyed the choicest specimens. Even such solid bivalves as
the Dosinia will be carried skywards by the gulls and dropped on to a
hard part of the beach, so that the shells may be cracked and the gulls
get the contents. Most birds have this habit; even thrushes can be seen
carrying snails up in the air and dropping them on to paths. Soak the
dead shells in hot water for a few hours to get rid of the salt, and
then scrub with a hard brush, or, if encrusted or very dirty, rub with
sand, using a brush or cloth. No need to fear hurting them, unless very
fragile, in which case the best thing is a soft toothbrush, with fine
sand. If patches of dirt, or encrustations, still remain, scrape with a
piece of hard wood or a knife. As a last resource use muriatic acid,
diluted with an equal volume of water; but be careful to put it only on
the spots to be cleaned, using a penholder, or small stick, with a small
piece of rag tied to the point. The inside of the shell, if discoloured,
can be cleaned in the same way. When cleaned, wash again carefully, and
dry thoroughly. Then rub the shell with a mixture of sewing machine oil
and chloroform in equal parts. The machine oil, being fish oil, will
replace the oil the shell has lost, and chloroform is the best restorer
of colour we have. For very delicate shells poppy oil is sometimes used;
but it is expensive and difficult to obtain.

The greatest trouble is getting the animal out