#gibbula

[snailspotter]

Today's snail: Gibbula multicolor | Multicolored Topshell

(source)

[morphons]

Beach finds from Durgan Beach, Grebe Beach, and Trebah Beach on the Helford River near Falmouth, Cornwall. 8 November 2019. 

1 king scallop (Pecten maximus) shell pair, which were found attached, but became unattached when the remanants of their previous occupant were removed. Apart from needing emptying and cleaning, it’s a perfect pair, inside and out – no holes or keel worm deposits. Grebe Beach.

1 rayed artemis (Dosinia exoleta) shell pair, attached. Trebah Beach.

3 common periwinkles (Littorina littorea). Grebe and Durgan beaches.

5 netted dog whelks (Tritia reticulata). Grebe and Durgan beaches.

21 flat periwinkles (Littorina obtustata) in a beautiful range of colours. Mostly from Durgan Beach.

1 spotted cowrie (Trivia monacha). Durgan Beach.

2 grooved top shells (Jujubinus striatus). Durgan Beach.

4 grey top shells (Gibbula cineraria). Grebe and Durgan beaches.

3 flat top shells (Gibbula umbilicaulis). Grebe and Durgan beaches.

1 thick top shell (Phorcus lineatus). Durgan Beach.

11 turban top shells (Gibbula magus). Trebah Beach.

2 weathered scallop fragments. Trebah Beach.

17 pieces of sea glass, collected from all three beaches. 

5 pieces of ceramic, although the small one may be melamine; it glows under uv light. One is stoneware, and the other three are white porcelain/china/clay? Also from all three beaches.

[morphons]

Beach finds from between Penzance and Marazion. 3 October 2019.

4 flat top shells (Gibbula umbilicalis).

1 grey top shell (Gibbula cinerea). 

2 nicely weathered scallop fragments. 

79 pieces of glass, including a first piece of cobalt blue. 

[morphons]

Beach finds from St Ives, Cornwall. 13 December 2019.

Another stopper, this time a vulcanite one. It’s well worn but I can just make out a few concentric rings which is a match to what the St Austell Brewery used from the 1930s onwards.

A brush without bristles.

15 ceramics: 2 more of those cool grey lines on warm grey material pieces which are common around Penzance too; 3 pieces of white with a thick dark green glaze which sparkles where tiny pieces of the matt surface have been chipped away; cool dark brown on lighter warm brown, glazed on both sides; lighter warm brown on even lighter warm brown, also glazed on both sides; cream partly glazed with red in a scaly pattern; darker cream with white and maroon sun-like design; white with maroon part of a flower; white with cream glaze and delicate black feather or leaf design in black; beige, with shiny glaze and design painted around the form of the ceramic, so it’s like a 3D effect (it’s flat on the other side); white and blue willow pattern; white and plain sky blue; and white and blue willow pattern again – tiny!

25 glass: all common colours except for one lilac/lavender piece.

2… parts of crustacean exoskeleton? I’m still figuring this out.

5 shells with uncertain ID. Closest match seems to be Lacuna crassior.

1 pullet carpet shell (Venerupis corrugata) shell pair.

1 netted dog whelk (Tritia reticulata), the best condition of this species I’ve found so far.

1 flat top shell (Gibbula umbilicalis) with especially pretty markings.

1 blue-rayed limpet (Patella pellucida), a way better example of this species than the last one I found – the rays are visible!

16 dog whelks (Nucella lapillus), a wide range of sizes and colours.

[morphons]

Beach finds from between Penzance and Marazion. 27 October 2019.

A heart-shaped part of a crab shell, possibly a European green crab (Carcinus maenas) - a delicate thing which has gone straight into the display cabinet instead of into a jar with that day’s finds.

2 flat periwinkle shells (Littorina obtusata).

1 grey top shell (Gibbula cineraria).

6 weathered scallop fragments.

3 ceramic pieces, nothing very decorated, but pleasing nonetheless.

1 possibly opaque glass? Nice colour (it’s the blue/turquoise one).

and 135 pieces of glass, including the largest (still pretty small) piece of cobalt so far, and an unusual straw yellow colour (top left) which may be from glass made using selenium, which despite being a decolourant, reacts to strong sunlight producing this tinge.

[morphons]

Beach finds from between Penzance and Marazion. 05 November 2019.

1 slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata).

1 banded wedge shell (Donax vittatus) pair, attached.

1 rayed trough shell (Mactra stultorum) pair, attached.

2 thick top shells (Phorcus lineatus).

3 flat top shells (Gibbula umbilicaulis).

7 grey top shells (Gibbula cineraria).

1 netted dog whelk (Tritia reticulata) shell.

5 flat periwinkle (Littorina obtustata) shells.

5 common periwinkle (Littorina littorea) shells.

1 weathered bivalve fragment.

1 weathered ceramic fragment, white with 2 or 3 ridges across one side.

2 more of the usual pale blue ceramic fragments.

93 pieces of glass, and somehow not a single brown. Plenty of large pieces though, notably the huge seafoam green one at the top.

[morphons]

Beach finds from between Penzance and Marazion. 13 October 2019.

1 rayed trough shell (Mactra stultorum) half.

4 top shells (Gibbula sp.) I think they’re all flat top shells (G. umbilicalis). 

1 weathered bivalve fragment.

2 weathered ceramic fragments: 1 plain white with one rib, and 1 the pale blue material that seems to show up regularly in this area. 

112 glass pieces, including some quite large brown pieces (underrated sea glass colour!), a beautiful long grey piece, and a tiny turquoise.