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Shell inlayed
Take for example the splendid cone, Conus prometheus Hwass (which is considered to be the world's largest cone). This shell,
while not rare, is infrequently secured by the Tipos Indicenas tribes, being worn as both an ornament and symbol of wealth by
women of the tribe. The tops of the large cones are neatly sliced off and dangle from strings of beads or leather thongs down
the back of the wearer or hang between their breasts. As a well-to-do native will exchange as much as a full grown cow for a
fine specimen of this shell, it is little wonder that collectors find them difficult to obtain.
Also very popular are the smaller and often rare Cypraea of the region such as zonaria gambiensis, picta, sanguinolenta,
petitiana, and even the West African form of lurida which are formed into strings for head and neck decoration, suplimented
with the more readily secured Cypraea annulus.
To a dedicated collectors, such use of rarities may well seem a desecration of fine shells. However, one had best look at it
philosophically with the thought that the major purpose of shells (once the animal who created them has ceased to have use
for its home) is to bring pleasure to the possessor either asthetically or scientifically and who can say who enjoys them
the most, the native or the specialist.
many shells that come from deeper waters.
We left the Navy Base in Central Zambales at 5 A.M. on December 14, 1963 and traveled south to Subic Bay. There we boarded a
40' boat that I had chartered for the day. Ten Shell Collectors (including wives) and my two children went along on this
trip.
We traveled out of Subic Bay by 8 A.M. and around the southern tip of Zambales along the West Coast of Luzon or South China
Sea to the first big Bay on the coast.
It is called Selangium Bay and is nearly 2 miles long by 2000 feet wide, all reefs and quiet water. We anchored a few hundred
yards in the Bay in about 40' of water at 10 A.M. The reef came up at a 60 degree angle here and you are in 5 to 10 feet of
water. I was the first one in the water and soon picked up a large purple mouth Pleuroploca trapezium that my little girl had
seen from the boat through a view box (or lookie-lookie box). After handing her this shell I swam but a few yards and found a
large 8" pair of Lambis chiragra. I felt this would prove to be a good shelling spot, after such quick luck. (Altogether we
got 8 specimens of L. chiragra)
In two hours of diving for shells in sand, under rocks and breaking coral with a crow bar we all came up with about 100
species of shells over 1" long. On my way back to the boat the last rock I flipped over had a 4" tiger cowry under it much to
my surprise since most of the Cypraea tigris we get in the Philippine are 2" to 3". This was the largest specimen I had seen
outside of Philippines.
Area 6 of those under discussion is probably my favorite collecting area. Shells are not too plentiful but those found are
usually uncommon, rare, very rare, or extremely rare species. All shells listed for Area 2 have been collected in this area.
In addition the following shells have been found:
Murex pele Under coral.
Murex insularum Under coral or in open.
Cypraea cernica (2) Under small pieces of coral.
Clivipolia fragaria (1) Under small coral chunk.
Conus circumactus (1) -In large coral head.
Fusinus species (3) On coral bottom in open.
Cypraea rashleighana (3) Under small coral slabs.
Conus acutangulus (3) In sandy silt.
Casmaria vibex (2) In silt under coral rubble.
Codakia thaanumi (2) In silty bottom.
Nodipectin langfordi In silty bottom.
Tellina crassiplicata In silty bottom.
Glycymeris diomedea In silty bottom.
Terebra subulata (1)- In sandy patch.
Conus spiceri (2) Under large coral head.
Harpa amouretta (1) In silty patch.
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shell inlayed
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