MON 
MOO 
flip tenth of an inch, but it is sometimes seen 
considerably larger: its shape is oval, some- 
what truncated in front, and sharply point- 
ed behind : the body is inclosed in a bi- 
valve, transparent shell, which, when examined 
by the microscope, appears finely reti- 
culated: on each side the head is a strong 
transparent jointed arm, forking into two di- 
visions, and terminating in several cetaceous 
branches: the tail, which is generally inclosed 
within the shell, is occasionally protruded in 
the form of a strong curved and pointed pro- 
cess: the eyes of this animal are of a singular 
construction ; they are large in proportion to 
the insect, placed very near each other, appear 
to consist of many separate globules, of a black 
colour united under a common skin. 
MONODON MONOCEROS, unicorn 
narwhal, is a native of the northern seas, 
where it is fometimes seen of the length of 
more than twenty feet from the mouth to the 
tail ; and is at once distinguishable from every 
othe v kmc 1 of whale by bs v ery long, ; vory- 
like tooth, which is perfectly straight, of a 
white or yellowish-white colour, spirally 
wreathed throughout its whole length, and 
gradually tapering to a sharp point. It mea- 
sures from six to nine or ten feet in length, 
and proceeds from a socket on the one side 
of the upper jaw, having a large cavity at its 
base or root, running through the greater part 
of the whole length. In the young animals 
and occasionally even in the full grown ones, 
more especially in the males, there are two of 
these teeth, sometimes nearly of equal length, 
and sometimes very unequal in this respect: 
they are seated very close to each other at 
the base, and as their direction is nearly in a 
| straightjline, they diverge but little in their pro- 
gress towards the extremites. The head of 
the narwhal is short, and convex above ; 
the mouth small ; the spiracle or breathing- 
hole duplicated within ; the tongue long ; the 
pectoral fins small ; the back, tinless, widish, 
convex, becoming gradually accumulated to- 
wards the tail, which, as in other whales, is ho- 
rizontal. The general form of the animal is 
rather long than thick in proportion to its size. 
The colour, when young, is said to be nearly 
black, but lighter on the belly : but as the ani- 
mal advances in age, it becomes marbled or 
variegated with black and white on the back 
and sides, while the belly is nearly white. 
The skin is smooth, and there is a consider- 
able depth of oil or blubber beneath it. 
The narwhal chiefly inhabits the northern 
parts of Davis’s Stveights. Its food is said to 
consist of the smaller kind of flat-fish, as well 
as of actiniae, medusae, and many other ma- 
rine animals. It is principally seen in the 
small open or unfrozen spots towards the 
coasts of the northern seas. To such places 
it resorts in multitudes, for the conveniency of 
breathing, while at the same time it is sure 
of finding near the shores a due supply of 
food, and is very rarely seen in the open sea. 
It is taken by means of harpoons, and its 
flesh is eaten by the Greenlanders, both 
raw, boiled, and dried: the intestines and 
oil are also used as a food ; the tendons 
make a good thread, and the teeth serve the 
purpose of hunting-horns as well as the more 
important ones ol building tents and houses : 
but before this animal became distinctly known 
to the naturalists of Europe, they were held 
in high estimation, as the supposed horns. of 
unicorns. Various medical virtues were also 
attributed to them, and they were even Num- 
bered amongfcthe articles of magnificence. A 
throne made for the Danish monarclis is said 
to be still preserved in the castle of Rosenberg, 
composed entirely of narwhals’ teeth ; the 
material being antiently considered as more 
valuable than gold. 
A specimen of this whale, measuring about 
eighteen feet, exclusive of the horn or tooth, 
was some time ago stranded on the court of 
Lincolnshire, at no great distance from Boston, 
and was said to have been taken alive. 
2. Monodon spurius, spurious narwhal. 
A species most allied to the narwhal, but 
not perhaps, strictly speaking, of the same 
genus : no teeth in the mouth, but from the 
extremity of the upper mandible project two 
minute, conic, obtuse teeth, alike curved at 
the tips, weak, and not above an inch long: 
body elongated, cylindric, black. Besides the 
pectoral fins, and horizontal tail, is also a mi- 
nute dorsal lm. It must be numbered among 
the rarest of the whales. Its llesh and oil 
are considered as very purgative: inhabits 
the main ocean, seldom coming towards shore: 
feeds on the loligo : has a spiracle like other 
whales. Both llesh and oil are eaten, but 
not without apprehension, for the reason al- 
ready mentioned. 
Monodon narwhal, a genus of mammalia 
of the order cete; the generic character is, 
teeth two in the upper jaw, extending straight 
forward, long, spiral : spiracle on the fore and 
upper part of the head. It inhabits the Atlan- 
tic, swims rapidly, and is from 18 to 40 feet 
long and 12 broad. Skin white, spotted on 
the back with black : dorsal fins : pectoral, two 
small: head small : eyes very minute: what 
are commonly exhibited as the unicorns 
horns. See Plate Nat Hist. lig. 269. 
MONOECIA, from /aovoj alone, and ontiac, 
a house ; the name of the 21st class of Lin- 
nieus’s sexual method. See Botany. 
MONOGYNIA from ^.ovoi alone, and 
a woman ; the name of the tirst order or sub- 
division in the first 13 classes of Linnaeus’s 
sexual method ; consistingof plants, which, be- 
sides their agreement in their classic character, 
generally derived from the number of their 
stamina, have only one style, or female organ. 
See Botany. 
MONOGRAM, a character or cypher, 
composed of one, two, or more letters inter- 
woven ; being a kind of abbreviation of a 
name, antiently used as a seal, badge, arms. 
See. 
MONOPOLY, is an allowance by the 
king, by his grant, commission, or otherwise, 
to any person or persons, bodies politic or 
corporate ; or of, or for, the sole buying, sell- 
ing, making, working, or using of any thing, 
whereby any person or persons, bodies poli- 
tic or corporate, are sought to be restrained 
of any freedom or liberty they had before, 
or hindered in their lawful trade. 3 Inst. 
181. 
Rut it seems that the king’s charter, im- 
powering particular persons to trade to and 
from such place is void, so far as it gives 
such persons an exclusive right of trading, and 
debarringall others; and it seems now agreed, 
that nothing can exclude a subject from trade 
but an act of parliament. Raym. 489. 
MONOPTERUS. Monoptere, a genus 
of the fishes of the order apodal ; the generic 
M O O 223 
character is, body anguilliform ; nostrils placed 
between the eyes ; fin caudal. 
1. the monopterus Javanicus, the only 
animal of this genus hitherto discovered, i$k- 
thus described by the count de la Cepede, ' 
from the manuscripts ot Commerson, i>y 
whom it was considered as a species of Mu- 
raina. The body is serpentiform, viscous, 
and destitute of conspicuous scales : the head 
thick, compressed, enlarging towards the 
back part, and terminated in front by a round- 
ed muzzle: the gape is rather wide; the up- 
per jaw scarcely projecting beyond the low er ; 
both being furnished with close teeth: the 
gill membrane has only three rays, and the 
branchiae are only three in number on each 
side ; the lateral line, which is nearer the back 
than the belly, extends from the gills to the 
extremity of the tail, and is almost of a gold- 
colour: the back is of a livid brown or black- 
ish colour. This fish is a native of the Indian 
seas and is very common about the coasts of Ja- 
va. where it is considered as an excellent food. 
MONSON lA, a genus of the dodecandria 
order, in the polyaddphia class of plants. The 
calyx is pentrophyilous ; the corolla pentape- 
talous and irregular; the stamina are 15 irt 
number, and coalited into five filaments ; the 
style bilid ; the capsule pentacoccous. There, 
are three species. 
MONSOON. See Wind. 
MONTH, the twelfth part of a year. Sctr 
Chronology. 
MONT l A, water duckweed, a genus of 
the trigynia order, in the triandria class of 
plants; and in the natural method ranking 
with those two of which the order is doubtful. 
The calyx is dyphyllous ; the corolla monope- 
talous and irregular ; the capsule unilocular 
and trivalved. There is one species. 
Mood, or Mode, in grammar, the differ- 
ent manner of conjugating verbs, serving to- 
denote the different affections of the mind. 
MOON. See Astronomy. 
MOONSTONE. This is the purest fel- 
spar hitherto found. It occurs in Ceylon and 
Switzerland ; and was first mentioned" by Mr. 
Pini. Specific gravity, 2.559. Colour white; 
sometimes with a shade of yellow, green, or 
red. Its surface is sometimes iriddesceut. A 
specimen of it analysed by Vanquelin, yielded. 
64 silica 
* 20 alumina 
14 potass 
2 lime 
100 
The whitish felspar, called petunze, yielded to 
the same chemist 
74.0 silica 
14.5 alumina, 
5.5 lime 
94.0 - 
MOORING, in the sea-language, is the lay- 
ing out the anchors of a ship in a place where 
shecan ride secure. Mooring across, is laying 
out on each side ; and mooring along, "is to 
have an anchor in a river and a hawser on 
shore. When ships are laid up in ordinary, 
or are under orders of fitting for sea, the moor- 
ings are laid out in harbours ; and consist of 
claws, pendant chains, cables, bridles, an- 
chors, swivels, jews-harps, buoys, and chains. 
