W. H. WEEKES, ESQ. 195 



would fall in and be drowned almost as fast as they were pro- 

 duced." Mr, Crosse was right in his conjecture, for although I 

 have latterly watched the proceeding with diurnal care, I have 

 never identified the presence of more than two living insects at 

 the same time within the close apparatus, and these have as 

 speedily as invariably shared the fate of their predecessors. Not- 

 withstanding the omission alluded to, I enjoy an increase of 

 satisfaction in the knowledge that I have kept from my arrange- 

 ments any substance which by its introduction might have been 

 suspected of vitiating the results, while the main object of the 

 undertaking has in no wise suffered in its accomplishment I 

 have only to add my belief founded on considerable experience 

 and much observation, that insect life was first developed in this 

 division of my experiment, sometime in the month of July, 1844, 

 about two years and two months from the commencement. 

 I am, dear sir, yours faithfully, 



W. H. WEKKE8. 



Sandwich, 2nd Sept 1845. 

 To the Author of " Vestige* of the Natural History of Creation." 



ELECTRO-VEGETATION. 



On the 3rd of October, 1842, 1 commenced an electro-chemical 

 experiment, which has constantly, since that period, been in pro- 

 gress, and will probably continue for sometime longer. It is not 

 necessary to the present notice that I should detail the objects of 

 this undertaking, as the indications of a successful result induce 

 me to suppose that particulars may eventually be worth commu- 

 nicating to the scientific public I shall therefore merely state 

 that a cylindrical glass vessel, capable of containing about ten 

 fluid oonces, with a bottom of porous baked earth, and open at the 

 A2 



