NOTES. 



On Testacella jiaugei in Cornwall. {Head \4th November, 1913.) 

 — I have pleasure in recording the occurrence of two rare varieties of this 

 species. (a) Var. viridans, G. & F. Mr. Roebuck says it is the first 

 example recorded since 1883, when he had it from county Waterford. 

 (6) Var. griseo-nigrescens, G. &F. Only previously found in co, Tipperary 

 and Pembrokeshire, twice, 1885 and 1904 ; up to the time of writing, 

 22ud February, 1913, these constitute two new records to the moUuscan 

 fauna of England. They were found under 12 in. chrysanthemum pots 

 and old wooden planks in Mr. Howard Fox's beautiful garden at Rosehill, 

 Falmouth ; they are most abundant in the autumn. Two shells of this 

 species in Penzance Mu.seum are labelled Phillack near Hayle ; the type 

 has not occurred up to the time of writing this note. 



L. St. G. Byne. 



Condensation of Moisture within and on glass specimen tubes. 

 {Read \Ath November, 1913.) — In May last I exhibited a number of glass 

 specimen tubes from my cabinets that were liable to become covered 

 inside and out with condensed moisture, whilst other tubes placed 

 under similar conditions remained dry. Investigation of these tubes 

 was made in the Mineral Department of the British Mviseum (Natural 

 History), where similar cases had been met with, and the question was 

 referred by that department to the National Physical Laboratory. I am 

 permitted to quote from the reply to Dr. Herbert Smith as follows : 

 " The difference between the two tubes, so far as an examination of the 

 glass can show, appears to be due to a difference in the composition of 

 the glass of the two tubes, one of which is probably somewhat hygroscopic, 

 while the other is free from that property. In order to arrive at a definite 

 conclusion on this point, however, it would be necessary to undertake 

 a fairly complete analysis of the glass . . . Asa rule the more hygroscopic 

 glasses contain too much alkali or too little lime, and the trouble can be 

 avoided by the makers if sufficient care is taken." 



B. B. Woodward. 



