446 



THE OCEAN WORLD. 



mitre. They are chiefly natives of warm climates, such as the Indian 

 Ocean, the Australian Seas, and the Moluccas, The shells of the 



Fig. 272. — Ovuhim volva (Linnssus). 



Mitres are long, slender, and spiral, the spire ending in a point at the 

 summit : the opening is small, narrow, and triangular, and notched 



in front. The animal has a very 

 long proboscis ; it emits a purple 

 liquid, having a nauseous odour 

 when irritated. The eyes are 

 placed on the tentacles or at their 

 base. Mitra episcopalis ( Fig. 273), 

 from the Indian Ocean, is white, 

 ornamented with square spots of a 

 fine red, and capable of high poHsh. 

 Mitra papal is (Fig. 274) has 

 dentiform folds round the open- 

 ing, which also crown each turn of 

 the spiral ; the spots are smaller, 

 and much more numerous and 

 varied in form than those of 

 M. episcopalis. 



In the genus Voluta the shell 

 is oval, more or less tun-bellied 

 — the spire is short, slightly mam- 

 millate, the opening large, the 

 edges notched, without channel ; 

 the columellar edge is lightly ex- 

 cavated and arranged in oblique 

 folds. The right edge is arched, 

 thick, or cutting, according to the 

 species. 



The animal has a large head, provided with two tentacles. The 

 mouth terminates in a thick trunk furnished with hooked teeth. The 

 foot is very large, furrowed in front, and projecting from all parts of 



Fig._ 273. 

 Mitra episcopalis 

 (Lamarck). 



Fig. 274. 



Mitra papalis 

 (Lamarck). 



