MITRELLA. Sw. A genus consisting of MITRA Fissurella, casta, Olivæformis, and similar species, described as "Rather small; olive-shaped; unequally fusiform; always smooth and polished, and sometimes covered with an epidermis; base obtuse and effuse; spire nearly or quite equal to the aperture; plaits of the pillar few, oblique, and extending beyond the aperture, which is smooth internally." Sw. p. 321. M. Fissurata, E. M. 371. f. 1. Olivarii, f. 2. Dactylus. 372. f. 5. _Ex._ Mitra bicolor. MITREOLA. Sw. A genus of "Mitranæ," Sw. thus described: "Small; unequally fusiform; the base obtuse; inner lip, typically thickened, inflected, and either toothed or tuberculated; plaits on the pillar distinct, the inferior largest; tip of the spire sometimes papillary; aperture without either striæ or groove." Sw. p. 320, M. Monodonta, M. Terebellum. Zool. Illustr. II. 128. f. 1. f. 2. MODIOLA. Lam. (_Modiola_, a little measure.) _Fam._ Mytilacea, Lam.--_Descr._ Equivalve oblique, cuneiform, inequilateral, thin, with the anterior side short and narrow, slightly gaping to admit the passage of a byssus, and the posterior side elongated, broad, sub-quadrate; hinge thin, toothless, rectilinear, with a long, partly external ligament; muscular impressions two in each valve; palleal impression irregular, not sinuated.--_Obs._ This genus differs from Mytilus, to which the common muscle belongs, in the anterior margin being rounded out beyond the umbo, which in Mytilus is terminal. The Lithodomi may be known from this genus by their cylindrical form. Fig. 160, M. Tulipa. MOLLUSCA. (From _Mollis_, soft.) The twelfth class of invertebrated animals with univalve shells or none; divided into the following orders: Pteropoda, Gasteropoda, Trachelipoda, Cephalopoda, Heteropoda, fig. 220 to 488. The term mollusca is also used in a general sense to include the classes Conchifera and Mollusca of Lamarck, corresponding with the type Malacozoa of De Blainville. MONEY COWRY. Cypræa Moneta, which passes current in some parts of Africa and the East Indies. MONILEA. Sw. A sub-genus of Monodonta. Sw. p. 352. MONOCEROS. ([Greek: Monos], _monos_, single; [Greek: Keras], _ceras_, horn.) _Fam._ Purpurifera, Lam.--_Descr._ Ovate, thick, covered with a brown epidermis; spire short, consisting of few whorls; aperture emarginated anteriorly; columella rather flat; outer lip thick, with a prominent tooth near the extremity.--_Obs._ This genus resembles Purpura, in every respect, except in having the tooth from which the name is derived. A catalogue of 16 species by Mr. Sowerby, sen. is published with figures of 14, in parts 58 to 67 of the Conchological Illustrations by the author. The species belong to the South American coasts of the Pacific Ocean.