Two recent molluscan meetings, Slug and Snail Pests in Agriculture and Molluscan Conservation: a Strategy for the 21st Century, emphasized the importance of molluscs to man. Appropriately, the Conchological Society, whose first acts included the initiation of a British recording scheme, played a major part in the conservation conference, marking a vigorous approach to the next millenium. Environmental concerns also figured prominently in the British Crop Protection Council's Symposium on agricultural pests. The reports in this issue indicate how such meetings not only review our present state of knowledge but help to focus the direction of future work.

Yet despite all the media of journals, reviews, conferences, symposia and workshops, there seems to be a significant gap between the sparking of a bright idea or realization of a paradox in one person's mind and its first public appearance. Many of these ideas may be trialled in departmental seminars, or even coffee breaks, but with malacologists being a relatively rare and farflung group, such forums may not be available, and the ideas die. I offer the pages of the Bulletin to the raw and untamed flames of your imaginings. As examples: "Has the pursuit of biodiversity narrowed down too far to just the conservation of rarities?" (RSPB can't find evidence of decline in commoner molluscs - see Song thrushes article), "Are we making the most of molluscs in biotech projects?", "What are the ecological and physiological correlates of the widely differing lifespans exhibited in molluscs?".

I am grateful to everyone who has contributed items to the Bulletin or helped in other ways with its compilation. Please make articles simple, clear and concise, and avoid or explain terms or concepts which may not be familiar to malacologists working in different fields. Try to include an illustration, and one or two key references. Items for inclusion in the next issue (No. 29, August 1997) should reach me by mid-July.

Bill Bailey.

Tel: 0161 275 3861,
Fax: 0161 275 3938

Email: BBAI...@FS1.SCG.MAN.AC.UK