The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Cowry
COWRY, a mollusk of the genus Cypræa, a
gastropod, comprising nearly 200 species with
beautifully colored shells. The cowries are
mostly confined to the tropics, especially of the
Old World, none occurring on the coast of
South America. They live in reefs and under
rocks at low water and feed on various polyps.
The money cowry is Cypræa moneta. See
.