Royal Society. 481 
generally confounded the colourless corpuscles contained in the blood 
with the red corpuscles of the same fluid ; each of which latter kind 
consists of a vesicle or cell, with thick walls, but in a collapsed and 
flattened state, and having therefore a biconcave form, and in con- 
sequence of its thick wall being doubled on itself, presenting under 
the microscope a broad circumferential ring, which is illuminated 
or shaded differently from the depressed central portion, according 
to the focal adjustment of the instrument: while the colourless 
corpuscles, on the other hand, are of a globular shape, strongly 
refractive of light, and granulated on their surface, and are of less 
specific gravity and of somewhat larger size than the red corpuscles. 
The author quotes various passages from Dr. Barry’s papers in proof 
of his assertions, and refers particularly to fig. 23 of his second 
paper on the corpuscles of the blood. He farther states, that Dr. 
Barry’s description of the appearances of what he terms the red 
corpuscles, in paragraphs 53, 68, and 76 of his second paper, can, 
in fact, apply only to the colourless corpuscles: and he observes, 
that even when Dr. Barry does, at last, in his “ Additional Observa- 
tions,” advert to the distinction between the red and the colourless 
globules, he considers the latter as being merely “the discs” con- 
tained in the red globules appearing under an altered state. 
The author regards as wholly erroneous the notion which Dr. 
Barry entertains that a fibre exists in the interior of the blood-cor- 
puscle; and that these fibres, after their escape from thence, consti- 
tute the fibres which are formed by the consolidation of the fibrin 
of the Liquor sanguinis. The beaded aspect presented by the double 
contour of the thick wall of the red corpuscle wheh it has been acted 
upon either by mechanical causes or by chemical reagents, of which 
the effect is to corrugate the edge, and to bend it alternately in op- 
posite directions, has, in the opinion of the author, given rise to the 
illusive appearance of an internal, annular fibre. ‘The appearance 
of flask-like vesicles presented by some of the red corpuscles, with 
the alleged fibre protruding from their neck, the author ascribes 
altogether to the effects of decomposition, which has altered the 
mechanical properties of the corpuscle, and allowed it to be drawn 
out, like any other viscid matter, into a thread. 
In conclusion, he remarks, that if these statements of Dr. Barry 
should be recognised as fundamental errors in his premises, the 
whole of the reasonings built upon them must fall to the ground. 
2. “Wind Table, from observations taken at the summit of the 
Rock of Gibraltar.” By Colonel George J. Harding. Communicated 
by Captain Beaufort, R.N., F.R.S., by order of the Lords Commis- 
sioners of the Admiralty. 
3. “ Spermatozoa observed within the Mammiferous Ovum.” By 
Martin Barry, M.D., F.R.S. L. and Ed. 
In examining some ova of a rabbit, of twenty-four hours, the 
author observed a number of spermatozoa in their interior. 
Dec. 15.—A paper was read, entitled “ Experimental Inquiry into 
the cause of the Ascent and Continued Motion of the Sap; with a 
new method of preparing plants for physiological investigations.” 
Phil. Mag. 8. 3. Vol. 22. No. 147. June 18438. 2K 
