[figure captions]

Most shells don't change basic structure as they grow. Young
COWRIES (l.), however, alter greatly in maturity (r.).

Tough, lozenge-shaped egg cases on this string hatch baby WHELKS
like ones shown.

Newborn mollusks are usually free swimming, moved by hairs. Shell
is there, but transparent for a few days.




LET'S MEET SOME SHELLS



Latin abounds in conchology, as you've already noticed. Why?
Well, because this is a hobby and science that spans the world.
Englishmen, Frenchmen, Greeks and Indians all have their own local
names for shells. But scientists everywhere give things in nature
Latin names. Shells of the same sort carry the same Latin label
on every beach in every sea. Much of the fascination of shell
collecting is learning these names and how they were derived. . .
for shells have been named for almost everything. We can't catalog
100,000 species here, but let's call off the names of a few of the
interesting specimens you might come across.