Geological Society. 445 



of the vessels is simple, like that of the fins and tail of a fish. 

 But in the pulmonary organs, where the purpose to be answered is 

 that of diffusing the blood over the greatest possible extent of sur- 

 face, the arteries and the veins correspond to each other in all their 

 ramifications, and their adjacent branches generally pursue courses 

 parallel to each other. Their transition into capillaries is effected 

 with fewer subdivisions than in the case of other arteries. No disposi- 

 tion exists among these arteries to form anastomoses with each other, 

 or with the veins ; but the intervening spaces are uniformly occu- 

 pied by a close network of capillary vessels. The lung of the sa- 

 lamander is simply vesicular; that of the frog is cellular, as well as 

 vesicular, and consequently presents greater difficulty in follow- 

 ing with the microscope the course of the vessels as they traverse 

 membranes situated in different planes. In the lungs of the frog, 

 the larger vessels pass chiefly on the external surface ; but in the 

 toad they follow the course of the internal margins of the vertical 

 meshes. The author concludes from his observations, that the ca- 

 pillaries, properly so called, have no power to contribute to the 

 motion of the blood, and that the capillary circulation depends al- 

 together upon the action of the heart and arteries. In cases of im- 

 peded circulation, he observes, the pulsatory movement of the blood 

 may be seen, not only in the arteries, but also in the capillary ves- 

 sels, and even in the veins. 



At nine o'clock, pursuant to the Notice sent to the Fellows, ac- 

 cording to the Statutes, a ballot was taken for filling three vacancies 

 in the Council, occasioned by the resignation of Viscount Melville, 

 K.T., Sir George Murray, G.C.B., and Sir Robert Peel, Bart. Dr. 

 Goodenough and Sir Robert Inglis were appointed scrutators. After 

 examining the Balloting Lists, they reported that John Frederick 

 Daniell, George Dollond, and Charles Konig, Esqrs., were elected 

 Members of the Council. 



A Letter from Sir James South to the Treasurer was read, stating, 

 that the Dome of the Building intended for his large Equatorial was 

 nearly completed, and that he would be happy to show it to the 

 Members of the Society any day of the week, between the hours of 

 one and five. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



April 13. A paper was read, dated at Sydney, New South Wales, 

 14th October, 1830, and entitled, "An Account of the limestone 

 caves at Wellington Valley, and of the situation, near one of them, 

 where fossil bones have been found :" by Major Thomas L. Mitchell, 

 F.G.S., &c. Surveyor-General of New South Wales. 



Wellington Valley is about 1 70 miles west of Newcastle on the 

 eastern coast of Australia. It forms the ravine of the river Bell, one 

 of the principal sources of the Macquarrie, which river it joins, after a 

 course, below the places described in the paper, of about six miles in 

 a direct line from south to north j the Macquarrie itself at the point 

 of junction running nearly from east to west, in its .progress towards 

 the swamps of the interior, where it disappears. 



The 



