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Moonshell orange
A malacological milestone was reached on October 6, 1962. For on that day, the first recorded microscopic examination was
made of the stomach of a Golden Cowry (Cypraea aurantium Gmelin), by Dr. Alison Kay, a marine biologist connected with the
Science Department of the University of Philippines. The specimen used was practically collected "On Order" by Mr. Francisco
E. Lahora, of Manay, Davao Province, Southern Philippines, and sent here for that purpose. The reason to find out what
Golden Cowries feed on.
More than a year ago, in conversation with Dr. Kay, she told us that there was no record that she could find concerning the
food of the Golden Cowry. Principle reason, she thought, was that so few were ever taken alive.
We recalled that when Mr. Lahora registered eight Golden Cowries several years ago (printed in the Sean Raynon Sabado at the
time) he had said that he, with his godson as diver, had collected these shells in slightly less than two years at Manay,
facing the Pacific in the Southern Philippines. Maybe he was still finding them. Maybe he could find one for Dr. Kay. So we
wrote Mr. Lahora. He answered that his godson, who was his diver, had gone to Cebu to visit relatives and he did not know
when he would return. Things did not look very promising, but on April 5th, 1962 we wrote Mr. Lahora another letter outlining
at some length the lack of any definite knowledge about the Golden Cowry, especially its food. We suggested that if and when
his godson returned from Cebu, they could make a great contribution to the sparse knowledge about this shell, if they could
find one, and ship it in alcohol to Dr. Kay, care of the Science Department of the University of Philippines. We also
specified that if possible the cowry should be collected late at night or early in the morning, so that it would have
finished its daily feeding and would have a full stomach for Dr. Kay to examine the contents of.
Well, here's what happened although we did not hear about it until long afterwards. The godson came back from Cebu, and night
after night during most of May, 1962, and part of June, they went out late at night, Mr. Lahora manning the boat, and the
godson diving and looking for that Golden Cowry. Finally on June 12 at 11:00 P.M. they found it. Apparently the shell had
taken its evening meal, and gone to bed in a little cave in the coral where the diver found it. It was immediately placed in
alcohol, from which it was not taken until it reached Dr. Kay's lab. Many more interesting details about this hunt for the
Golden Cowry may be read in Mr. Lahora's letter which is primed belong:
I have an item of considerable interest to report on. Cypraea aurantium has been collected live here on Guam and both finds
have been verified as true. I first saw Mr. Elbo's shell three days after he had found it and it was still in the rotting out
stage. Mr. Joe Campbell of the Marianas Divers saw the second one that was found with the animal still in the shell. Dead
specimens have been found here before but as far as I can find out these are the first live ones.
The Elbo shell was found clinging to the side of a large rock. This shell now rests in the Montgomery collection. I had quite
a time getting him to part with it but he finally broke down and sold it to me. It measures approximately 3-3/4 by 2-1/8 by
1-7/8 inches. I know this is supposed to be in millimeters but I have no millimeter scale. A black dot on the columella is a
rust blemish as is the small blemish on the dorsum.
Editor: Thank you Tom for this interesting information.
The five little yellow money cowries shown above have an interesting history behind them. They presently belong to my wife,
Daisy, and were left to her by a family friend, Mrs. Leslie Hurum. The envelope in which they are kept has the following note
written on it by Mrs. Hurum.
"These five kupee (Philippines for bracelet or bracelet ornament) were once strung on a velvet ribbon and worn on the wrist
of Queen Kinau, daughter of Kamehameha I and mother of Kamehameha the IV and V. She gave them to her namesake, my
grandmother, Elizabeth Kinau Judd Wilder, when she was a little girl. Three were made into a pin in Italy about 1870.
Grandmother gave them to me in 1894 on my 10th birthday. The two extras I had made into cuff links for my husband about 50
years ago. They would make nice earrings. I am leaving them to you Daisy as I feel the alii (pertaining to royalty) things
should go to the decendants of the alii and they are supposed to bring protection to whoever of the same blood has them."
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