Auckland Shell Club

Best wishes for 2011!
Thank you to all the Committee and members for another successful year. We appreciate your contributions - from setting up the chairs and tables, bringing in shells to share, providing supper, etc.
We are looking forward to the National Show in Wellington on 12-13th/Feb. A number of Auckland members are traveling down. We wish you safe travel and a happy holiday.
For 2011 we have some interesting ideas for our evening meetings, but always welcome any new ideas that you might have.
Heather Smith,
Club President

December Meeting / A.G.M.
Heather welcomed everyone to the meeting and presented the President's report for 2010.
Committee members were thanked for their contributions, especially newsletter editor and web site administrator Peter Poortman, secretary Doug Snook, treasurer Luen Jones and auditor Derek Lamb. A special thank you to Jan Munroe and Patricia Langford for their work producing Poirieria.
Our treasurer Luen Jones reported that the Club was in a healthy financial state. Club subscriptions will once again remain unchanged.
Suggestions were made, if possible, to put funding towards research and books. It was also suggested that Poirieria be published a little earlier in the year, but the Auction could remain in October.
Elections and confirmation of officers for 2011 were completed. We wish to thank the outgoing Patrons Prof. J.E. Morton and W.O. Cernohorsky for their roles in the club. Congratulations to Dr. Jack Grant-Mackie and Margaret Morley who are our new Patrons.

Following the A.G.M. we had a wonderful sharing time with contributions from many members including ...
. Thomas Simpson - Chitons
. Margaret Morley - an unusual green Diloma subrostrata from Bluff Harbour
. Doug Snook - a variety of interesting shells
. Heather Smith - a Triplofusus giganteus eating a Busycon sinistrum found on the sand while snorkling off Key West in Florida. Also some trays ready for the shell show!
. Peter Poortman - the two Atys mentioned in Powell's 1979 New Zealand Mollusca
. Nick Britton - photos of NZ land snails he had seen at Harwards Hole
. Dr Bruce Hayward - A jar containing millions/billions of Forams. He claims to have more shells than any of us in his collection! (Also 2 of his publications on Forams)
. Luen Jones - his world record size Harpa gracilis, a 40.63mm gem!

Officers for 2011

Patron:	Dr. Jack Grant-Mackie
Vice Patron:	Margaret Morley
President:	Heather Smith
Immediate Past President:	Martin Walker
Vice Presidents:	Doug Snook, Patricia Langford
Newsletter:	Peter Poortman
Secretary:	Doug Snook
Treasurer & Membership:	Luen Jones
Website:	Peter Poortman
Hon Editors:	Patricia Langford, Peter Poortman
Librarian:	Gladys Goulstone
Archivist:	Betty Headford
Committee:	Nick Britton, Michael Bressolles, Earl Simpson
Auditor:	Derek Lamb

Next Meeting
Epsom Community Centre, 202 Gillies Avenue, Epsom at 7:30pm on Tuesday 8th of February (doors open at 7pm)
The theme: shells from the South Island or any shells found or added to your collection during the holidays. Also any trays of shells you might like to share before taking to the National Shell Show in Wellington.
Heather will share a few outstanding photos of the south island! (Shells, sunsets, flowers, birds, etc!)
Sales Table: As always there will be a large assortment of shells for sale. Bring any shells that you might like to sell.

Note that we plan to have a short committee meeting before our Shell Club meeting in March.

Norfolk Island Whelk Needed for Scientific Study
As part of a wider study of the genus Cominella, Hamish Spencer is looking for 3-4 alcohol preserved live taken individuals of the Norfolk Island endemic species Cominella norfolkensis.
If you are going to Norfolk Island and would be willing to collect these whelks, please contact Hamish at h.spencer@otago.ac.nz. He will send you the details, including collection materials and the necessary documentation.

Poirieria Magazine
As always we would welcome contributions to our club magazine "Poirieria".
Please think about what you could provide. Anything related to shells or collecting would be greatly appreciated - Eg. shelling trips/finds, personal observations/tips, scientific research, historic anecdotes, a notable washup, etc.
Please email to Peter Poortman at petermwp@gmail.com, or post to 26 Pendlebury Street, Green Bay, Waitakere 0604.
Contact Patricia Langford on (09) 479 6149 if you have any queries.

Club Library
We have an extensive collection of books, magazines, and scientific publications available, as well as a biological microscope.

Subscriptions
These are now due - enclosed is your invoice for 2011.
Contact our Treasurer Luen Jones on (09) 834 5195 if you have any queries.

Other Club News
. We were sorry to hear Jenny Raven lost her Mum at the end of 2010. We send sympathy and would like Jenny to know we have been thinking of her.

. Peter Bunyard from Adelaide would like to make contact with shell people and exchange information and shells. He has a daughter in Tapawera near nelson and visits NZ most years, usually travelling via Auckland. His email address is pbunyard@tpg.com

. Dennis Sargent and his wife will be in Auckland around the 26th-28th of February, and he is keen to meet up with local collectors while here. Dennis has been interested in shells and malacology since the 1970s, and was co-author with Ed Petuch of the "Atlas of the Living Olive Shells". His current projects are involved with the Olividae and Strombidae families. His email address is dsargent10@comcast.net

. Some of our members will have Hinea brasiliana in their collections but may not know of its bioluminescent animal. See http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/12/15/3093673.htm

. Enclosed is a correction of the Index for our last Poirieria.

. Items of interest for the monthly newsletter are always welcome - email to petermwp@gmail.com, or post to 26 Pendlebury Street, Green Bay, Auckland 0604.

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