Conchology Section
Auckland Museum Institute

A warm welcome to our new members
Deborah Davies and Helen Scofield of 13a Abercrombie St. Howick. Ph. 535 2170.
Tim Saunderson of 170 Mt Wellington Highway. Ph. 527 4052.
Youth members Lauren and Holly Osborne of 4 Pah Rd. Cockle Bay, Howick. Ph 534 2094.

President's Report
Our Shell Show was the best Auckland Shell Show ever. See our web site for photos and a list of winners.
Congratulations to Peter Poortman for his "Best in Show" shell and to Heather Smith who was the over all winner - Heather has not long been a member and she is an outstanding example of the way a new member can contribute original ideas and finesse to the Section with its record of 75 years of excellence.
Congratulations to the winner of the raffle, Sebastian Allum aged 6. Sebastian was delighted with the large tray of shells generously donated by Mr Chris Horne, and said he wanted to be "a shell scientist" when he grows up.
A big thank you to everyone for their help and involvement. To witness the pleasure that so many people experienced was indeed a reward for all the effort made.

Next Meeting: Tuesday November 12th, 7:30pm
The meeting will be held in the Ranfurly Room at the Epsom Community Centre, corner of Gillies Ave. and Kimberly Rd. Epsom.
Ian Scott will be speaking on "Olividae". This is a family that can present more than a few challenges when determining the correct naming of specimens. Ian will have a copy of the recent Olives book to help us solve our queries. This is a family renown for their highly polished and colourful shells. There will be some Olive shells for sale on the night and most are not expensive.
Our focus family for the night is Olividae so bring along a tray of your Olives to exhibit. Members may have added some new shells to their collections so please bring them along as exhibits, as well as any items of interest you have to share. This includes our newer members too - why not bring along some of your favourites as an exhibit. The Section is about Shells and no shell collection is too humble to be displayed. New members are also invited to bring along any shells that they can't identify.
There will be two door prizes.

Foundation member recuperating in hospital
Mr David Baker, aged 88 years has not been well of late and is now recuperating in hospital. We hope he will soon be well again.

Shells of India
Basheer Mohideen, email: jcishells@hotmail.com advises that they are exporters of Indian sea shells. They export both commercial and specimen shells and invite members to contact them for further information.

Visiting Zoologist and Curator of Molluscs from South Africa
Mary Bursey and her teenage nephew, friends of Pete and Dee Cresswell of Upper Moutere, Nelson. ph.03 526-7088 email: snails@xtra.co.nz will be in Auckland on 29th Nov. enroute to Nelson. If members are interested in meeting Mary in Auckland could they please contact Pete Cresswell.

Christmas Presents
Margaret Morley's recently published book "Seashells of New Zealand" is available now in book shops and would make an excellent gift for young and old. Buy some copies to top up those Christmas stockings. Only $25.

Mind that child!
The Writer was recently meandering along Kohimarama Beach, Auckland, looking for deep-water pickings from the sand deposited on the city beach from off Pakiri, when I spied to my delight a marvelous, hitherto unfound and newly dead specimen of Xenophora neozelanica ! As I bent down to pick up this much searched for shell a tiny hand shot between my legs and a shrill little voice pronounced "I want that" and the shell was gone!! I took a deep breath and turned around and stared down at a small tyke in a red body suit. Out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed an adoring Mom seated further along the beach and shouting encouragingly to her flinching offspring. What can one do but smile like a tiger and send the tiny miscreate, clutching the shell, back to his doting Mother!

If you have any stories for this newsletter then please email me at: ratyson22@hotmail.com

Library
The Section's extensive collection of library books are available for loan and located on shelves at the rear of the Matapuna Gallery, Auckland Museum. Members can request specific books by contacting our Librarian Gladys Goulstone, 38a Church Street, Mangere Bridge, Auckland, ph. 09 634 2823, or email: gladysgoulstone@xtra.co.nz

Poirieria
The Editors require articles for the next issue of the Section's Journal, Poirieria.
Contact Jenny or Tony Enderby, PO Box 139 Leigh, North Auckland, Ph. 09 422 6127, or email: enderby@enderby.co.nz

Web-site
Our web-site officer is Peter Poortman: peter.poortman@xtra.co.nz

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