Meet from 10:00 h onward at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution, 16-18 Queen Square. BRLSI has an important shell collection including a wide range of rare North American freshwater mussels some of which may be extinct. There will be a display of shells of Epioblasma, Lampsilis, Lasmigona, Elliptio, Obovaria, Pleurobema, Quadrula, Plethobasus and Potamilus. It may be possible to visit more of the collection, but the store is not large enough to take more than 4 visitors at a time.
The venue is associated with Leonard Jenyns who was a friend of Charles Darwin and described several new mollusc species.
There will be a range of other exhibits and four illustrated talks:
Ron Boyce Leonard Jenyns and the elusive freshwater bivalves
Rob Randall The shell collection at BRLSI
John Llewellyn-Jones North American fresh water pearl mussels: their uses and status past and present
Prof Julian Vincent The mechanics of being a mussel
Tea and coffee will be available but there are no catering facilities on-site.
Ron Boyce (0118 935 1413) (home)