Conchology Section
Auckland Museum Institute

Recuperating:
Late last year Mike Eagle survived a terrible car accident in the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. He has returned home and is on the mend.

President's Diary:
We hope members enjoyed the festive season and found time to do some shell collecting over the holiday period. (We sympathise with those who were rained out while camping at beaches in Northland.)

The December meeting was also the Section's A.G.M.
Doug Snook sincerely thanked our Patron, Prof. John Morton, the 2002 Committee and our Editors T. and J. Enderby, for their continuing interest in the Section and for the work accomplished throughout the year. (Doug's report and the financial statement are enclosed.)
There was one resignation: Peter Poortman relinquished the position of secretary but will continue to produce the web site and the membership records. On behalf of all members of the Section, Doug gave special thanks to Peter as the out-going secretary. Rosa Tyson, the membership secretary and newsletter compiler in 2002, was elected secretary for 2003.

The office holders elected for 2003:

My first duty as Secretary is to thank Fiona Thompson for her assistance with the production of the newsletter and her kind patience in showing me the ropes.

Jean Paul Van Weert has returned to Holland. He thanked the Section's members for their friendship and for making him so welcome in Auckland. We felt privileged to have him as a fellow member and admired his knowledge and enthusiasm for shell collecting.

Next Meeting: Tuesday 11th Feb. 7:30 pm at the Auckland Museum.
Entrance by the rear Admin door between 7:15-7:30pm. We regret there can be no late admittance due to security regulations.
Doug and Judith are currently touring the South Island, so Bruce Hazelwood will chair the meeting.
Topics:
1. Holiday finds and new additions to collections - Please bring a selection of the best shells obtained in the recent shell auction and any surplus shells to sell on the trading table.
2. Bring photos of your holiday shell collecting locations - A slide projector and a video player will be available.
3. Margaret Moriey will begin a practical series of instruction on how to draw shell types. (Her notes will be published in future newsletters.)

Patricia Langford's field trip to the Chatham Islands.
Several members are currently away on this trip. We look forward to their reports.

Bruce Hazelwood's field trip to Cuvier Is.
Subject to permit approval, this is planned for the weekend of April 5th-6th. We have filled the quota of 12 members allowed by DoC on Cuvier Is and booked a charter boat. Current scientific opinion is that the outer Hauraki Gulf islands received their fauna during the last glaciation, via the Coromandel Peninsular. Bruce hopes that Rhytida greenwoodi and Schizoglossa barrierensis will be present in the leaf litter samples collected on the island. Margaret Morley also plans to do a survey of the inter-tidal zone.

Future field trips:
The committee is sadly aware that the Section's current activities are very Auckland orientated. However the Section's membership is widespread throughout NZ and we welcome suggestions and leaders for field trips in 2003 in other regions. To date Bruce Hayward has nominated Slipper Is. Gt. Mercury Is. and Mayor Is. and Rosa Tyson Kapiti Is. In October, island locations may have restrictions on visitor numbers, and some offer few opportunities for collecting. If you have a favourite location please let Rosa know.

Library News:
Gladys has some new books including one by Section members J. and T. Enderby: Lonely Planet Series, Diving and Snorkelling in NZ. N. Coleman: Shells Alive and 1001 Nudibranchs. G.B. Sowerby Jnr: Sowerby's Book of Shells and A Conchological Iconography - Family Harpidae. presented by Dr N. Hudson.
Librarian Gladys Goulstone - address 38A Church Rd. Mangere Bridge, Ak ph. (09) 634-2823, will be in attendance at the Library in the Matapuna Gallery on the Mon. afternoon 2-3 pm before each meeting date. Please contact her re. books on the list mailed Sept 01- Gladys has extra copies of this. She will deliver book orders to the meeting, or if you send her an A4 P.0. handy bag with $2.95 in stamps, for each book, she wiil mail books to you. Please return books to Matapuna as soon as possible or to Gladys at the next meeting, or mail them to her address above.

Poirieria:
Tony and Jenny Enderby, P.O Box 139 Leigh, require articles for the next Poirieria issue. All queries: ph. 09-422-6127 or Email enderby.t.j@xtra.co.nz . Back copies are available.

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Subscriptions are now due for 2003. The annual subscription is $20-00.
Please make cheques to: Conchology Section C/O R.A.Tyson, 16 Kain St, Mt Eden, Auckland 4, New Zealand.

I/we enclose $20.00 for my/our annual subscription:

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