Publications

Circulars, Bulletins and Study Notes

The Wellington Shell Club published a Circular (1 to 21) from 1956 until 1965 and then a Bulletin (1 to 36) from 1967 until 1975, as well as occasional Study Notes on families of molluscs.  A first Study Note - SN 29/09/1991 is now available in the publications list.  A second publication "Some aspects of the Panbiogeography of NZ" is also available.

Cookia

Cookia is the journal of the Wellington Shell Club.  It was published regularly from 1976 until 1996 and has been published annually since 1997. Cookia journals to date are:

1976-1977 Volume 1, Nos 1, 2, 3

1977-1978 Volume 2, Nos 1, 2, 3

1979-1980 Volume 3, Nos 1, 2, 3

1980-1981 Volume 4, Nos 1, 2, 3

1982-1984 Volume 5, Nos 1, 2, 3, 4

1985-1992 Volume 6, Nos 1, 2, 3, 4

1993-1996 Volume 7, Nos 1, 2, 3, 4 [Index to 1996]

1997-2024 Volumes 8-36

Cookia Vol.14, June 2003 is 'The Shell Lists' issue & Supplement to Cookia Vol. 26,

December 2014 is an index of all articles in Wellington Shell Club publications 1956-2014.

Both are available on-line, see below.

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Cookia contains specialist articles and items of general interest on shells, shell collecting and molluscs as well as other related marine topics. Generally, contributions to Cookia are from club members or they may be provided by relevant scientific institutions.  Club members and other readers are invited to submit contributions to the Editor before the end of May for inclusion in that year's issue. 

Article Contribution Guidelines

• Handwritten content is welcome but contributions should be legible and preferably double spaced. 

• Preferred electronic format:  single column using Microsoft Word.  Notwithstanding, contributors should note articles are usually published using two or three columns.   This columnised format is the main determinant of illustration and image size (refer Illustrations and Images section below). 

• Articles with excessive or rigid formatting will be accepted at the editor's discretion and may be subject to editorial review 

• Text should be in plain English

• Effort should be made to check spelling, grammar and punctuation

• Preferred font: Times New Roman 

• Preferred font size: 10.5

• Preferred line spacing: 1, 1.15 or 1.5 

• Preferred text justification: left justified 

• Preferred hyphenation: not hyphenated

• We aim to publish mostly original content.  Please tell us if an article has been published elsewhere.  

• All contributions submitted should be the author's own work, unless otherwise clearly stated.  Relevant permissions or acknowledgements should be noted including extracts from other publications or image credits.  

• Appropriate acknowledgement, reference or citation should be given for articles or other information from Cookia used in the public domain.

• It is editorial policy not to introduce taxonomic changes. This includes the naming of new taxa, placement of species into synonymy, the resurrection of species from synonymy or changing familial or generic placements.

• The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS: www.marinespecies.org) checklist is considered the most appropriate resource to determine current valid species names, authorities & familial & generic placements. Give the authority & date, in parentheses where appropriate, after the first usage of each specific name if you can.

Illustrations and images 

• Preferred illustration and image file type: jpg or jpeg

• Illustrations and images provided should be of a high resolution and  supplied as separate individual files.  Illustrations, images and associated captions should not be embedded into the main text but instead a reference included indicating the preferred placement.  

• The dimensions of illustrations and images in the final publication are determined by column width.  Precise placement within an article is an editorial decision.   Oversized illustrations will be accepted at the editor's discretion.  

• Unless of an in situ individual shell, an assortment of specimens in one shot or an artful context, it is preferred that specimens are photographed at 90° to the height/length axis of the shell, with apertural views of gastropod species preferred. Multiple views, angles or images of the same specimen are appreciated.

Please refer to more recent past issues of Cookia for an indication of the standard expected. If you are unsure about any of these guidelines or the suitability of your material, please consult the editor(s).

Costs and Distribution

Publication costs are covered by membership fees. Cookia is usually distributed to current financial and life members at the Annual General Meeting and Christmas party which is usually held in late November each year.  Those members unable to attend the AGM receive a posted copy of Cookia shortly afterwards.

Back Copies

Electronic back copies of Cookia from Vol 1 - No 1 (Autumn 1976) to Vol 34 (November 2022) are available on this website for viewing or downloading - see below.  More recent copies of Cookia will become available on this website as they become 2 years old.

Otherwise, hard copy versions of all back copies of all* original Cookia journals remain available for a fee plus postage. Individual articles and copies of the older bulletins and study notes are also available.

To order, please e-mail us .

* including those less than 2 years old

Acknowledgements

It is requested that appropriate acknowledgement, reference or citation be given for articles or other information from Cookia used the public domain.

Publications Index 1956 - 2015

Included in the list below is Supplement to Cookia Vol. 26 which is a fully searchable index of all Wellington Shell Club publications from 1956 to 2015.  It includes references to the Cookia journals currently available on-line.  Cookia PDFs from Vol 1 No 1 to Vol 16 are not text searchable.  The more recent Cookia PDFs from Vol 17 are text searchable.

Monthly newsletter

The club e-mails a monthly newsletter to members.  If preferred, posted newsletters are available upon request (for NZ residents only). The newsletter provides members with brief updates, topical news, any special events and details of the next few meetings.

Cleaning Shells

Among the most frequent questions asked by new collectors are those about cleaning shells.  There are two files in the list below which contain information for new and experienced shell collectors alike on various methods and techniques found to be useful.  The information provided was written by experienced New Zealand shell collectors.  While some of the references within the articles is dated the essential information is assessed as current.

Also included is a link to very good shell cleaning information on the Femorale website.  www.femorale.com/articles/ourplace/cleaning/?id=50.

(page last updated  February 2025)