358 Miscellaneous. 



a vegetable dye obtained from Isatis indigotica much used in the 

 northern districts, and called Tein-ching ; and it is not unlikely that 

 it may be the substance which is employed. The Chinese never use 

 these dyed teas themselves, and I certainly think their taste in this 

 respect is more correct than ours. It is not to be supposed that the 

 dye used can produce any very bad effects upon the consumer, for, had 

 this been the case, it would have been discovered before now ; but if 

 entirely harmless or inert, its being so must be ascribed to the very 

 small quantity which is employed in the manufacture. 



In short, the black and green teas, which generally come to En- 

 gland from the northern provinces of China, are made from the same 

 species ; and the difference of colour, flavour, &c. is solely the result 

 of the different modes of preparation. — From Mr. Fortune's ' China.' 



Description of two new species of Shells. By William Case. 



Helios annulata. Shell minute, much depressed — umbilicus show- 

 ing all the volutions ; aperture simple and somewhat oval ; whorls 

 four, banded by thin, sharp and parallel ribs, inclining slightly for- 

 ward ; intercostal space marked with waved lines, running parallel 

 with the whorls ; nearly transparent ; diameter about one line. 



This minute but beautiful shell was found by Captain B. A. Sta- 

 nard, in the region about Lake Superior, and I have heard of its being 

 observed in other places, but so far as I can learn, it is undescribed. 

 It differs from any description of the pulchella I have yet met with, 

 in having uniformly an oval aperture and simple lip. The H. minuta 

 of Say, I believe never has the parallel ribs, and is supplied with a 



lip- . . 



Planorbis multivolvis. Shell about five-eighths of an inch in dia- 

 meter ; whorls seven, about half of the last whorl overlapping the pre- 

 ceding one, sometimes the last whorl suddenly distorted and expanded 

 for the last half of its length ; right side concave, left side slightly 

 acuminate and considerably carinate ; throat campanulate ; aperture 

 opening towards the left, but projecting on both sides beyond the 

 preceding whorl. 



This shell also I obtained from Captain Stanard, who found it in 

 the northeni part of Michigan. It is very distinct from any Planorbis 

 I have met with, or have been able to find any description of, I have 

 named it from its strong characteristic — a greater number of whorls 

 than usual in the genus. 



Note. — The Helix here described approaches the pulchella, (minuta 

 of Say,) a ribbed variety of which is called H. costata ; yet it appears 

 to be a distinct species. The Planorbis is most nearly allied to the 

 P. campanulatus. — A. A.G. — Silliman's American Journal, Jan. 1847. 



TRICHINA SPIRALIS. 



Dr. Leidy stated, at a recent meeting of the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences, Philadelphia, that he had lately detected the existence of 

 an Entozoon in the superficial part of the extensor muscles of the 

 thigh of a hog. The Entozoon is a minute, coiled worm, contained 



