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Puka heishi
In our three months of wandering along this coast I found alive only (1) Cypraea helvola, and (1) Epitonium coronatum,
several dozen of the common Nerita (3 varieties), several small Turbo coronatus, several Trochus nigropunctatus, (1) Conus
minimus, several Barbatia alfredinus, several dozen Kroussina rubra and dozens of Janthina. Not a great many mollusks for one
day, and very disappointing for three months search. However, I found many Cypraea in good condition and the best
beach-specimens of Voluta africana I have yet come across. This last is valued even as beach specimens as they are impossible
to find unless taken from the stomachs of trawled fish. The few good specimens in museums were obtained from that source.
I have made contact with a trader and have since received two boxes of beach Cypraea. These are still glossy but many have a
minute puncture showing that the mollusk had been killed by another predatory creature. I have about half a dozen Cypraea
marginalis which I found at Bashee River mouth. These are rare and I have already parted with two. This is dead material.
The Pondoland coast, between the Transkei and Natal, has been explored with better results by the Natal conchologists, but
even this is now Bantu territory and access will not be as easy as formerly. These two coastal areas constitute the most
delightful climatic regions in the winter months. They enjoy a certain amount of rain all the year from the south-east trade
winds, but the wind is stronger in summer and their rainy season is therefore spoken of as a summer one. Their winters are
very mild.
It seemed to be egg laying time for Conus catus, as they were to be found in pairs under many of the rocks sitting next to
their strange looking egg cases. Also to be found were all of the most common varieties of Conus such as flavidus, lividus,
ebraeus, sponsalis, and abbreviatus as well as Cymatium pileare, tuberosum, nicobaricum, and Bursa affinis.
The weather was beautiful, sunny but not too warm, and as we walked along the reef we uncovered numerous eels which always
startled us. As Mrs. Wade turned over one rock, an eel darted out right between my feet. A little shook-up, I decided it was
time for a rest. Resuming our search a little later on Mrs. Wade found a beautiful juvenile C. maculifera. We were also
rewarded with Cypraea helvola, poraria, isabella, and moneta.
If you become a little too ambitious, and try to turn rocks that are larger than you can handle, you may end up sitting in
the water as I did. This provided a good laugh for my loving husband Bob and our ten year old son Patrick, so all was not
lost. Only my dignity.
As is usual when you are enjoying yourself, time passes too fast and we found we had spent almost four hours in this one
small area. We left many rocks unturned for our next trip back. So if you should happen to get there before I do, the shells
are where you find them. Good luck.
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