Anne Morrow Lindbergh took them as inspiration for her book of essays "Gift from the Sea". They are the hard, protective coverings made by creatures from a very different and mysterious world. Sea shells are the treasures found during a walk on the beach. We look for them. We delight in their different shapes and colours. Sea shells are a glimpse beneath the surface of the ocean. They are hints of life in a vast sea - hints that we can hold in our hand.