Societies Rules Changes

The EGM at the Cambridge meeting accepted motions for changes to the Rules to add a Membership Secretary to the list of Council Officers, and to facilitate the issue of the Bulletin in February as a precursor to the Spring AGM.

You will find a notice and registration form for this years Molluscan Forum enclosed with this Bulletin, and you can also download them from The Society's website. As previously, the Forum is designed to give research students, first-time postdoctoral researchers, undergraduates doing molluscan projects and amateurs the chance to talk, or present a poster, about their work. The atmosphere is friendly, informal and supportive. Last year, the Forum filled up completely, and I have already received overseas registrations. If you are a supervisor, get your students to sign up now! There is no conference fee, and The Society has set aside some money to assist with travel and accommodation costs for contributors. I hope that most participants will get support from their own institutions, so that we can give meaningful support to the few who cannot get help.

Robert Cameron, President

Donation From George Crawford

The Society gratefully acknowledges the receipt of a donation of £500 from Honorary Member George Crawford MA, CBE. George studied Zoology at Cambridge, before joining the Mollusca Section of the Natural History Museum in 1935. Shortly after this, he took part in an expedition to Lake Titicaca, where he concentrated on his first love, the Crustacea. He was Secretary of The Society from 1938 to 1959, apart from the war years, which were spent at Bletchley on Special Service. After the war, he entered the Civil Service in the Ministry of Education, but remained an active member of council until 1972, becoming President in 1960. The 1963 Proceedings of The Society contains his presidential address on the Cost of Scientific Research. As well as a professional civil servant, George was a part-time farmer in Kent, with his wife, who died a few years ago.

During his Presidency, a group of distinguished European malacologists proposed a congress in London, with a view to founding a European organisation for the study of Mollusca. George chaired a series of meetings to discuss the formation of Unitas Malacologia Europaea the Europaea was dropped in 1977. His diplomacy in those founding meetings kept discussions on course, and the international malacological community owes much to his commitment. In gratitude for his work in promoting malacology and The Society, he was elected an Honorary Member in 1995.
Still active in his ninetieth year, George keeps in touch with his malacological colleagues and with friends from Cambridge and the Titicaca expedition. He expressed the particular wish that the donation should aid the work of the emerging generation of malacologists.

Conchological Society Web Site

The conchological Society of Great Britain and Ireland web site: http://www.conchsoc.org/index.php has updated information on meetings, as well as news of British Molluscs.

Love Darts

In a paper that caught the attention of the popular press, Rogers and Chase (McGill University, Montreal) report that a component in the mucus coating the love dart of Helix closes off the partners copulatory bursa which digests foreign sperm, and as a result darted snails retain more of the partners sperm (Behav. Ecol. & Sociobiol. 50, 122-127).

Haslemere Conchology Exhibition

Haslemere Educational Museum (78 High St; tel 01428 642112) has an exhibition of sea and land shells and shell-inspired art from September 1st to October 6th.

For Sale - Back Numbers of Journal of Molluscan Studies

The following issues are offered for sale to members, at £5 for each of the loose parts. This is a small fraction of the annual subscription, and far less than would be charged by commercial sellers! Bids are invited for the long journal runs.

Enquiries to Dr David Reid or Dr John Taylor
Department of Zoology,
The Natural History Museum,
London SW7 5BD

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7942 5051
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7942 5054
E-mail: dgr...@nhm.ac.uk

French Polynesia: Field Report 2000-2001

Dr Trevor Coote, the author, has kindly deposited a copy of this report in the Zoology Library of the Natural History Museum, London. The report covers field surveys to The Society Islands to locate possible extant populations of highly endangered tree snails (Partulidae), and assess the demographic status of introduced pest species.

The surveys confirm the loss of all species of Partula and probably Samoana in the wild on The Society Islands outside of Tahiti. Up to 35 species have been lost from Raiatea, and on Huahine the disappearance of P. varia and P. rosea has deprived many villagers of their livelihood (making shell necklaces). The remnant population of S. attenuata discovered 5 years ago on Moorea appears to have been lost to predation.

The predator Euglandina rosea has colonised every area of The Society Islands except in the interior of Tahiti, but is now at greatly reduced density. The giant African snail Achatina fulica has become rare, though there may be a resurgence in some villages.

The report calls urgently for a predator-proof reserve in Faaroa Valley and for field surveys in those Marquesas Islands which were without the predator in 1995. It also recommends designation of protected areas in Tahiti Iti and Tahiti-nui, and close collaboration between the Pacific Island Land Snail Group, local authorities and other interested organisations.

Trevor Coote