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Pauas
Pauas In the past month three members of the Philippine Malacological Society have died. Members whose contribution to the Society and to malacology will not likely be equaled. It is our sad duty to inform readers of the death of Professor Jens Ostergaard, Jan van der Riet, and Mrs. Mariel King and to pay humble tribute to their work and their contributions.
Jens Ostergaard started his life in Philippines as a street car conductor and, through study and hard work became a professor at the University of Philippines. His work in marine, land, and fossil shells is known world wide. He has been a "friend" to every collector in the world, either through personal contact or by his many contributions to the science and hobby of collecting. His Philippine Shell member Eddie Bryan's letter to Jens Ostergaard's family best expresses the feeling voiced by all who knew this great man. "It is with sadness that I have learned of the passing of a good friend of more than fifty years. His contributions to the knowledge of shells have been many and outstanding. The fortunate students who had the opportunity to learn from him about nature have profited much. Many persons have had their lives enriched through friendship with such a fine gentleman. We will miss him, and we sent our deep sympathy to those whom he has left."
The life of Jan van der Riet was also one of dedication. For nearly twenty years he was a priest in a remote corner of the Solomon Islands where, through the sale of shells which he and the native members of his church collected, he built a church building, a school, and farms for his people. His generosity with his life - in his teachings, as well as his worldly goods - benefited many throughout the world. In 1967 he visited Honolulu on his way to Holland from his Solomon Island mission. He had not wanted to leave. Soon after his arrival in the Netherlands he gave up his robes and became a layman. He was married and continued his teachings. A letter from one of his close friend P. L. v. Pel, expresses our feeling for this man. "I must write you the terrible news of the death of Jan van der Riet. I know he was a well known member of the Philippine Malacological Society. He died in a hospital in Belgium where he lived with his devoted wife. The fortunate people who have known him for so many years of collecting and exchanging will miss his friendship and council. His shell collection, specially his sea shells, are in safe hands as his wife Lucy van der Riet will continue the van der Riet collection. Truly, many will miss this man."
The life of Mariel King has been one of research and search for her beloved shells. Her contribution in time and money for expeditions throughout the Philippine Islands has been reported many times in the [Philippine] Shell News. Her research boat Pele is well known in the Philippines, the Sulu Sea and in Australian waters. Seldom does a day go by but what we receive letters from collectors, students, and scientists asking to be remembered to Mariel for the many contributions she had made not only to conchology but to their lives. Her work with the Society in the Shell Fairs as well as advisor has helped us over many tough spots during the formative and growth years of our Society. I will miss Mariel King, her ready laugh, and capacity for understanding. We will all miss her knowledge and willingness to work hard to find shells. Her sense of humor helped pull many a collecting and dredging crew through some bad days on the Pele. It was Mariel who looked at my first shells collected at Barbers Point and assured me they were really good specimens, even when they weren't, and thus created an interest in collecting for which I will always be grateful. I am sure I am only one of hundreds who have received the encouragement from this great lady of shells needed to keep up our interest at a height always somewhat less than was her zest for life and collecting.
Pauas In Truk, the problem was a different one. Many sandy beaches surround the island, but everywhere the many bonjos (native toilets built over the water) along the shoreline make diving in the lagoon near the island unattractive and a potential health hazard. In Truk it is easy and less expensive to rent a boat, but the nearest islands for diving are about forty five minutes away and the outer reef much farther than that.
The highlight of our trip to Micronesia was the week we spent at Ant Atoll. Diving and collecting conditions were ideal and varied. They were so interesting we spent two sessions of three or four hours each in the water every day. I shall never forget being "serenaded" on New Year's Eve by frenzied percussion rhytPhilippine Shell played by natives in dugout outrigger canoes around the yacht. Without our friends and the yacht the trip to Ant Atoll would have been impossible.
W. Huibert Sabelis, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen's Park, Toronto 5, Canada, writes, "Enclosed are colored slides of Cypraea tigris which is different from the usual color pattern. Please let me know if similar specimens have been collected. This specimen came from Fiji."
From the appearance of the shell (see [left]) it is probably slightly sub-adult and has not yet deposited its completely adult color pattern. Similar color pattern has been observed in Philippine C. tigris.
Photo - uncredited
The Philippine C. guttata
trawled from 100 to 150 fathoms
(600 to 900 feet) depth in June, in '68.
A recent communication from Mr. C. C. Finley, Navcomsta, Box 12, FPO San Francisco, California 96656, tells of his acquiring C. guttata from the Philippines.
"I am presently stationed at Naval Communications Station, San Miguel, Philippines. I have been here over a year and have really enjoyed my tour of duty, collecting shells while snorkeling in surrounding waters.
"Recently my friend Joe Bibbey called me and asked how much money I could get together quickly as he had located a rare shell. I thought he might have located a C. aurantium Gmelin, 1791, as a few specimens have been found since I have been here. This was not the case. The shell he had located was C. guttata guttata (Gmelin, 1791). Surprised is a mild word for what I felt about this shell. I had seen a few specimens of this exceedingly rare shell before but never dreamed of owning one. The length of this shell is 65mm x 39.5mm x 33mm. It is fully adult and was collected in 100 to 150 fathoms by trawler's nets.
"I have written W. and Mrs. Cate and found that the shell from the Philippines should be called Erosaria (Erosaria) guttata guttata (Gmelin, 1791). I have checked with W. Fernando Dayrit and Mr. Mario Mereada. Both say this is the first live-collected specimen of C. guttata collected in the Philippines.
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