392 Miscellanies. 



8. Bones of the Orycterotherium. 



Dear Sir — Dr. Perkins is under the erroneous notion that my remarks 

 on the " Orycterotherium," in the Journal of proceedings of the Amer- 

 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 premature in giving the specific title 

 of " Oregonensis^'' to his remains. R. Haelan. 



Philadelphia, Feb. 1, ]842. 



9. Note on Mr. H. C. Lea's paper in the last number of this Jour- 



flat. 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 Actceon irifidus, 

 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 trifda, Gould. Invert, of Mass., p. 274, fig. 179. 



ActcBon trifidus, Tott. Am. Journ. Science, xxvi, 368, pi. 1, fig. 4. 



Var. a. With two well impressed lines. 

 " b. With one well impressed line. 

 " c. With all the lines obsolete. 



" d. With one well impressed line, and the columellar fold in- 

 distinct. 

 " e. With the lines obsolete and the fold indistinct. 



Pasithea sordida, H. C. Lea. Am. Journ. Science, xlii, 110, pi. 1, 

 fig. G. 



Varieties a and b are most common in the vicinity of New Bedford. 

 In most of the individuals, which would, at first, be referred to varieties 

 d and e, the fold will usually be seen far within the aperture. But oc- 

 casionally it is wanting, and a roughness of the columella indicates this 

 to be the result of disease or accident. Without the intermediate va- 

 rieties, e 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 regard it as entitled to specific rank. 



