Marin County CA Archives History - Books .....Marine Life Of Marin County 1958 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 11, 2007, 1:02 am Book Title: Shark Point - High Point Marine Life of Marin County As AN OFFSHOOT of the Eighth Grade regional history, "SHARK POINT - HIGH POINT," David King (Class of 1955) made an intensive study of local marine life, with carefully done illustrations. Limitations of space and budget prohibit publication, here, of his paper - since he describes and illustrates 60 species ranging from the Pacific Grey Whale ("found in the Pacific north of 30 deg. north lat. In the middle 1900s it was hunted extensively. It still can be seen migrating south in spring and north in fall, off Pt. Reyes. This whale is the most primitive of the whales, having long hairs sprinkled around the head and back. It likes shallow water and can be seen sometimes playing in the surf.") to the Family Dentaliidae, containing the Indian Money Tusk or Tooth Shell. David notes that "The Indians of the Pacific Coast nearly all used the Tooth Shells for money. They were also a decoration for the tribes. Although the most abundant source is in the Puget Sound area, southern California and Marin County also have a share. . . . The Indian Money Tusk [illustrated] or Tooth Shell is found from Alaska to Lower California. It is an opaque white, about two inches long, and is found in most deep water in this area. I have found only one rather dilapidated specimen, personally. This was discovered at Stinson Beach." The original manuscript of "Marine Life of Marin County" has been placed in the local history collection at the Belvedere-Tiburon Library. We have only the space to print David's introductory paragraph and bibliography, in addition to the passages already quoted. He begins: "Perhaps one of the most interesting parts of Marin County life lives not by the waters but in them. Because of my special interest in marine life, I have attempted to document my own observations and put them down on paper. The books which I have used include: Miner, Roy W., "Field Book of Sea Shore Life," Van Rees Press, 1950 Rickette, Edward F. and Calvin, Jack, "Between Pacific Tides" Stanford University Press, 1939 Morris, Percy. "A Field Guide to Shells," Riverside Press, 1952 Abbott, R. Tucker, "American Seashells," D. Van Nostrand Co. 1954 Encyclopedia Britannica, 1943 Keep, Josiah (revised by Baily, Joshua, Jr.) "West Coast Shells" Stanford University Press, 1935 Burt, W. H., and Grossenheider, R. P., "A Field Guide to the Mammals" Riverside Press, 1952 Missing from David King's listing of Marin County marine life as personally observed, is the shark for which Tiburon was named. A call to the Fish and Game Commission established the fact that four kinds of sharks are found locally, none man-eating. "Harmless," said the voice on the telephone, "but I wouldn't want to stick my fingers in one's mouth!" Most abundant are the Leopard and Brown Smoothbound Sharks (Triakis Semifasciata, reaching 3 and 1/2 feet in length; and Triakis Henlei reaching 2 and 1/2 feet). Seldom seen are the Soupfin and Seven-gill varieties (Galeorbinus zyopterus and Notorynchus maculatum), attaining 6 and 15 feet, respectively. For details of shark habits we refer you to the Superintendent of Documents at Sacramento for Fish Bulletin No. 75, "California Sharks and Rays," by Rodel & Ripley, published in 1950. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Shark Point - High Point An Illustrated History of TIBURON & BELVEDERE IN MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA BY EIGHTH GRADERS OF THE REED SCHOOL CLASSES OF 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958 PUBLISHED BY THE REED SCHOOL DISTRICT PARENT-TEACHER CLUB BELVEDERE-TIBURON MCMLVIII Designed by Lawton Kennedy, San Francisco 3000 Copies Printed by R. G. Fontana & Son, San Anselmo File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ca/marin/history/1958/sharkpoi/marineli521nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb