www.houstonshellclub.com Volume XXVI, Issue 5

January Program

January, 2019

The Epitonium

Houston Conchology Society

President’s Message By Angela Doucette Wishing you Happy New Year greetings for good health, joy, and happiness throughout the year. We are excited to display our seashells at the downtown Houston Public Library on McKin-ney and Bagby Streets during January and February. Underground parking at the li-brary is $2/hour. We welcome you and your friends to visit the 2nd and 3rd floors to set your eyes on a variety of beautiful and colorful seashells.

We are extremely grateful to Cathy Betley and Darwin Adler for heading up the club’s Christmas tree decorating committee. Thanks to all of the volunteers for helping to make decorations and coming out to decorate our beautiful tree. A very special thanks to John and Angie Ha-neiko for hosting our Christmas Party. Visit-ing their home is always a treat – looking at their shells, John’s conversation with enthusi-astic listeners, and Angie’s delicious foods. Don’t forget to read postings about the Hous-ton Conchology Society on Facebook. We look forward to seeing y’all at our next meeting at the Weekley YMCA on Stella Link Street at 2 pm on Sunday, January 20, 2019.

a chore, he got a library science degree from The Florida State University and let biology become an avocation. Somewhere along the way, he also became interested in birds, then butterflies, but still retains his love for things molluscous. He has been a librarian at UTEP, the University of New Mexico, and is now the Biology Librarian at Texas A&M Uni-versity. Bruce is perhaps best known for his work with the wentletraps, but he has never met a shell he didn't like and has a wide rang-ing collection. Since wentletraps don't pose enough of a challenge, he has recently started working on turrids in the broad sense. The shells of Linnaeus have long been an inter-est.”

At our meeting on Sunday, January 20, Bruce Neville will present an interesting program titled "It All Started with Linnaeus." It's an overview of Linnaeus's life, his works, and his shells.

Bruce says about himself: “Bruce Neville caught the shelling bug, as many of us do, on a trip to Florida in high school to visit grand-parents. Fleeing the Cold North, he got his undergraduate degree in biology with a con-centration on marine invertebrates at the University of Miami and worked as an envi-ronmental scientist in Florida for several years. When 24/7 field work became too much and biology as a career threatened to become

By Rusti Stover

The November 18, 2018 meeting of the Houston Conchology Soci-ety was called to order by President Angela Doucette at 2:20 p.m. at the Weekley YMCA on Stella Link. Angela welcomed everyone, including guests Lisa Alderman and Richard Willson, his daugh-ter, and mother in law who visited our table at the recent Gem & Mineral Show. Angela asked the assembled to take a moment to remember those affected by the California wildfires. She then asked for ap-proval of the minutes from the October meeting. Lucy Clampit made a motion, Dave Green seconded, all approved, motion passed. Angela gave the treasurer’s report for Sandy Clark, who could not attend.

Old Business: Angela thanked those who volunteered their help with the club table at the Gem & Mineral Society show. Our contact at the society also asked us to return for next year’s show.

Angela reminded everyone that the downtown Public Li-brary will have displays on shell related topics in cases during January, February, and possibly March, of 2019. She has no ac-tual date yet from the library for the project.

It was reported that the workshops for ornaments for the museum tree are done, and the tree will be decorated starting at 9 a.m. Friday, November 30th. Cathy B. said the tree will have a ‘sculptural look’ which might take more time to finish, so we need as many volunteers as possible.

Darwin Alder gave a report on upcoming programs. Bruce Neville will be giving the program in January, John Haneiko will present the February program, and March will be our annual auc-tion. April is still open for a program.

Under ideas for field trips, Rusti Stover asked if the club might be interested in a one-day field trip over the winter, as there seemed to be not much interest in a weekend-away trip. Rusti suggested a late January, or sometime in February, outing to Galveston Island, meeting at a beach for shelling, possibly walking the Strand together, and eating somewhere as a group. She is looking into other things to do together while there.

New Business: Lucy reported she is still trying to get a commitment from the YMCA for our meeting dates of the 3rd Sun-day in January and February, and because of Easter, the April meeting date will be the 4th Sunday, April 28th. Lucy will broad-cast email the members when this is finalized.

Tina Petway reported the updating of the Hall of Malacol-ogy at the Houston Museum of Natural Science Continued on Pg 3

November Minutes

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Visit HCS online at

www.houstonshellclub.com

President: Angela Doucette 713-523-0169 Vice President: Darwin Alder 713-256-9087

Treasurer: Sandy Clark 713-778-8539 Recording Secretary: Rusti Stover 713-614-4882 Corresponding Secretary: Jerry Clampit 713-468-0610

CALENDAR

Annual Auction Don’t forget the HCS an-nual auction is March 2. The com-mittee is sorting and or-ganizing donations. If you have donations, please bring them to a meeting or con-tact Lucy Clampit: lclam-pit@comcast.net or 713-468-0610.

CALENDAR 1/20 HCS Meeting

2/17 HCS Meeting

3/2 HCS Auction

4/28 HCS Meeting

5/TBA HCS Banquet

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THE EPITONIUM VOLUME XXVI, ISSUE

Minutes continued from pg 2 is underway, and asked the club for a donation for the hall. Af-ter some discussion, Nancy Mustachio made a motion that the club donates $1.000 for the renovations. Mary Harris seconded, all ap-proved, motion passed. Tina said a new, per-manent donor panel will be on the wall of the renovated hall. Announcements: The club Christmas Party is set for 2 p.m. Sunday December 9th at the home of John and Angie Haneiko.

There being no further business, a call for ad-journment was approved at 2:40 p.m.

Darwin introduced Dave Green, who gave Part II of his program, “Dave’s Favorite Shells”.

Christmas Tree HCS members thank Cathy B., Darwin Alder, and their team of elves for another out-standing museum tree. Nancy Barziza, An-gela Doucette, Linda Green, Victoria Craig, and Nancy Mustachio, along with her grand-children Georgia and Phil, helped to make the beautiful decorations. Numerous HCS mem-bers and HMNS employees helped to decorate the tree. Cathy and Rusti Stover provided the pictures.

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In Memoriam Longtime HCS member Jo Huskey passed away in October. She was 91. In the early 1990s Jo chaired the HMNS Christmas tree decorating multiple times. Cathy and Darwin helped her, and, along with Jo’s grandchildren, have fond memories of those years. Jo also worked on the museum’s butterfly exhibit before it opened.

She had a beautiful shell collection, most of which the club acquired. Much or it will be for sale to Texas shellers at the 2020 Jamboree. The museum acquired some of her gorgeous coral. It will be incorporated in the new Mala-cology Hall that is under construction.

Cathy shared a picture of the 1992 tree that cele-brated the legend of the 1000 cranes, and Jo’s grandson, Shane Shibest, shared a picture of Jo from 1979.

HCS members extend their condolences to Jo’s family and thank them for sharing her collection with us.

New Year’s Day Beach Trip New Year’s Day 2019 was a beautiful, sunny day wedged between some south Texas rainy days. What a treat. Darwin, Victoria, and Cathy started at about 6 a.m. and, once on the road, decided to start with East Beach – Apffel Park - and then proceed south. Darwin walked the beaches the most and made a few great finds. Close to the East Beach Jetty, he found the whelk in the photo, almost completely buried, and dug it out of the sand only to discover that it was older but still in good shape. At one of the stops, Darwin col-lected a gallon of worm goop to check out at home under the microscope. Sorry – no Epito-niums on the beach but some indicators. We worked our way south and at the north base of the Surfside Bridge saw many roseate spoonbills in the marsh grasses. Finally we made it all the way to Matagorda Island State Park, mostly just for a look-see. The little town of Matagorda has more sea-sonal shops but still seems to be a bring-your-own-picnic-lunch if you are planning a day trip to the beach sort of town. The corner Stop & Shop is still the main place for snacks and food. The state did improve the trip across the Intracoastal Waterway with a new up-and-over concrete two-lane bridge. It also looks like there are still lots of fishing opportunities in Matagorda. The South Texas Nuclear Pro-ject is still producing power and seems well settled in its location just off of Texas High-way 60. When you look out your windows and see the early spring rains, remember it is those rains that make all our lovely Texas wildflowers grow and bloom so well.

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Membership Directory All current HCS members should have received a new directory. Please check your information. If it is incorrect or you have not received the directory, please contact Lucy Clam-pit at lclampit@comcast.net.

Galveston Field Trip By Rusti Stover

Saturday January 19th is the lowest of low tides in the winter. At San Luis Pass low tide is at 7:15 am. At Galveston locations/beaches low tide is about 8:15 am.

I would suggest everyone who wants to go on this field trip, pick a beach and do your morn-ing shelling. Then meet at 11 am at the Gal-veston Railroad Museum, 2602 Santa Fe Place. We can all tour the museum and take a train ride.

Train Rides at Gal-veston Railroad Mu-seum: From 11am – 1:45pm, weather permitting, the Har-borside Express boards every 15 to 20 minutes. The ride proceeds down the track about 1 mile and returns to the mu-seum – approximately 15 minutes. Tickets to ride: $5 in addition to museum ad-mission Museum admission: Adults $10, Children $5, Seniors $8

Free parking for the museum is behind the building.

Then everyone who wants to eat lunch to-gether can journey to the original Shrimp n Stuff restaurant at Avenue O and 39th street. It was voted best and freshest seafood on Gal-veston Island, in 2017, http://www.shrimpnstuff.com/location

Note this is the day before our January meet-ing at the YMCA. Perhaps we can show off any found treasures at the meeting.

Library Display HCS members thank Angela Doucette for or-ganizing beautiful shell displays at the down-town Houston Public Library. Helping Angela were Alex Chapman, Allison McHenry, and Darwin Alder. The displays will be up through February, so please stop by and enjoy their hard work. Here are a few of Angela’s pictures. Can you guess who did which case?

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More pictures from the Library Display.

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Here are pictures from the HCS Christmas Party in December at the home of John and Angie Haneiko.

Pictures by Rusti Stover

HOUSTON CONCHOLOGY SOCIETY Jerry Clampit, Corresponding Secretary 10532 Hammerly Blvd. Houston, Texas 77043

The Epitonium is published monthly August through May and is an official publication of the Houston Conchology Society. Items of interest concerning shells and shelling are welcome for publication. Credit will be given to contributors when known unless anonymity is requested. Permission is granted for reprinting articles, provided credit is given to The Epitonium, the writer, and the Houston Conchology Society and a copy of the reprint is sent to the editor of the newsletter. Editor: Lucy Clampit 10532 Hammerly Blvd., Houston, TX 77043 Phone: (713) 468-0610 E-mail: lclampit@comcast.net The Society holds regular meetings on the third Tuesday of September, October, November, January, February and April. There are seasonal events and a yearly shell auction scheduled in the other months. VISITORS WELCOME!!! Membership year extends from June 1 through May 31. Annual membership dues: Family $12; Single $10; Junior (under 18) $6. Make checks payable to Houston Conchology Society and send to Sandy Clark, 2475 Underwood St. #288, Houston, TX 77005.