120 MANUAL OF THE MOLLUSCA. 



Types, M. episcopalis, PI. VII., fig. 13. M. vulpecula, fig. 14. 



Shell fusiform, thick ; spire elevated, acute ; aperture small, notched in 

 front ; columella obliquely plaited ; operculum very small. 



The animal has a very long proboscis ; it emits a purple liquid, having a 

 nauseous odour, when imitated. The eyes are placed on the tentacles, or at 

 their base. Range, from low water to 15 fathoms, more rarely in 15 80 

 fathoms. 



Distr., 350 sp. Philippines, India, Red Sea, Medit., W. Africa, Green- 

 land (1 sp.), Pacific, W. America. The extra-tropical species are minute. 

 M. Greenlandica and M. cornea (Medit. sp.) are found together in the latest 

 British Tertiaries (Forbes.) 



Fossil, 90 sp. Chalk . India, Brit., France, &c. 



Sub-genera. Imbricaria, Schum. (conoelix, Sw.) 



Shell, cone-shaped. I. conica, PL VII., fig. 15. 



CyUndra, Schum. (Mitrella, Sw.) 



Shell, olive-shaped. C. crenulata, PL VII., fig. 16. 



VOLVARIA, Lam. 

 "Etym., volva, a wrapper. 

 Type, V. buUoides, PL VII., fig. 1?. 



Shell cylindrical, convolute ; spire minute ; aperture long and narrow ; 

 columella with 3 oblique plaits in front. 

 Fossil, 5 ? sp. Eocene. Brit., France. 



MARGINELLA, Lam. 



Etym., diminutive of margo, a rim. 



Syn., porcellana (Adans.) Gray. Persicula, Schum. 



Types, M. nubeculata, PL VII., fig. 18. M. persicula, fig. 19. 



Shell, smooth, bright ; spire short or concealed ; aperture trunca 

 front; columella plaited; outer lip (of adult) with a thickened margin. 

 Animal similar to cyprsea. 



Distr., 90 sp. Tropical, W. Indies, Brazil, Medit. (1 small sp.) W. 

 Africa, China, Australia. 



Fossil, 30 sp. Eocene . France, &c. 



Sub-genus. Hyalina, Schum. Outer lip scarcely thickened. 



Type, voluta pallida, Mont., W. Indies. 



FAMILY VI. CYPR^IDJE. Cowries. 



Shell convolute, enamelled ; spire concealed ; aperture narrow, ( 

 at each end ; outer lip (of adult) thickened, inflected. No operculum. 



Animal with a broad foot, truncated in front ; mantle expanded on each 

 side, forming lobes, which meet over the back of the shell ; these lobes are 

 usually ornamented with tentacular filaments; eyes on the middle of the ten- 

 tacles or near their base ; branchial plume single. Lingual ribbon long, 



