392 Miscellanies. 
es 8. Bones of the Orycterotherium. ae til 
Dear Sir—Dr. Perkins is under the erroneous notion that rays em 
on the ‘ Orycterotherium,” in the Journal of proceedings of the Roan. 
ican Philosophical Society, is a description of the new genus, whereas 
it is only intended as a scientific notice. My memoir before the Soci- 
ety, of twenty one pages letter paper, with numerous figures, is now in 
progress of publication. , : 
The “ protuberance” on the humerus referred to by Dr. P. is there 
noticed, together with numerous other details not now mentioned, and all 
of which leave no reason to believe Dr. P.’s bones to have belonged to 
a distinct species. He is certainly iengiant in giving the specific title 
of ** Oregonensis” to his remains. R. Haran. 
Philadelphia, Feb. 1, 1842. 
9. Note on Mr. H. C. Lea’s paper in the last number of this Jour- 
nal.—Among some interesting additions to the known species of our 
native shells in the last number of your Journal, I find a shell described 
under the name of Pasithea sordida, which has been known to me for 
several years, and had been regarded as a variety of Act@on trifidus, 
Totten. A re-examination of numerous specimens confirms this opin- 
ion. The species presents the following varieties, the type being char- 
acterized by three well impressed and several indistinct revolving lines. 
Odostomia trifida, Gould. Invert. of Mass., p. 274, fig. 
Actaon trifidus, Tott. Am. Journ. a XXvi, 368, pl. 1, fig. 4. 
Var. a. With two well impressed lines. 
«6. With one well impressed line. 
* - ¢, With all the lines obsolete. 
_ © d, With one well impressed line, and the columellar fold in- 
distinct. 
*  ¢, With the lines obsolete and the fold indistinct. 
=" sordida, H.C. Lea. Am. Journ. Science, xi11, 110, pl. 1, 
Pdeeice a and } are most common in the vicinity of New Bedford.” 
In most of the individuals, which would, at first, be referred to varieties 
d@ and é, the fold will usually be seen far within the aperture. But oc 
casionally it is wanting, and a roughness of the columella indicates fais 
to be the result of disease or accident. Without the intermediate va- 
rieties, € might be supposed quite distinct from the type, and many 
species have been proposed with much less reason. But having a large 
“number of the shells referred to by Mr. Lea, among which are all the 
above varieties, I cannot hegers it as entitled to spenieee rank . 
if. 
