Microscopical Society of London. 951 



been driven across the ocean by the trade winds, which blow continuously at that 

 season of the year, in a direction oblique to the course of the ship that was conveying 

 Mr. Stephenson outwards. The other instance that has just come to my knowledge 

 is mentioned in a letter from Mr. Dyson to Mr. Cuming. Mr. Dyson states, that 

 while at sea, in October last, when about six hundred miles from Cape de Verde 

 Islands, and twelve hundred from Guadaloupe, he observed a large butterfly, appa- 

 rently of the genus Morpho (?), flying round the ship, but he could not succeed in cap- 

 turing it. These are facts related by entomologists who could not have mistaken the 

 objects observed, and consequently they are entitled to full credit. They are full of 

 interest in relation to a subject of physiological discussion, the power of flight supposed 

 to be possessed by these, our little favourites, and the speed with which they are con- 

 veyed across the ocean, whether by an actual expenditure of muscular energy, or 

 whether carried by the force of the wind alone. My own opinion certainly is, that the 

 amount of muscular power exerted during flight is trifling, compared with what we 

 have usually supposed it to be, and that in these instances the insects have been 

 greatly aided in their progress by the wind. The speed at which they must have tra- 

 versed the ocean seems to confirm this view, as it is well known that the iEshna will 

 not live more than a few days, if unable to obtain its living food. — Id. 



Report of the Microscopical Society of London. 



March 19, 1845.— Professor Bell, F.R.S., &c, President, in the Chair. 



A paper by Alfred Smee, Esq., F.R.S., " On Vessels in Fat smaller than the Capil- 

 laries,'' was read. This paper was a continuation of a former one (Zool. 808). Mr. Smee 

 commenced by stating that, although it was extremely difficult to ascertain precisely 

 the original size of the capillaries, he was about to describe in the present paper another 

 system of vessels, so much smaller, that it is impossible to attribute their diminutive 

 size to any shrinking of those vessels. They are given off from them, and are distri- 

 buted at every angle of each cell of fat. To these vessels he proposes to give the 

 name of Vasa Adipis, as clearly pointing them out as appendages to fat, and also as 

 preventing their being mistaken for the Vasa serosa of some anatomists, the existence 

 of which is, however, in his opinion, very problematical. The vessels now described 

 are very minute, measuring from about j^ to 2 3uw of an inch in diameter. They 

 are found in every kind of fat when in its highest state of development, but do not 

 appear until then, existing only in fat, the globules of which have assumed their 

 polygonal form, so that it should appear that the last process for the development of 

 fat in its perfect state, is the production of these minute appendages to the capillary 

 system. It must, however, be borne in mind, that although the term vessel has been 

 applied to them, no evidence whatever can be adduced, either of the existence of a 

 cavity, or of distinct walls. The term Vasa is here applied to denote that a certain 

 part exists in a definite position, with certain boundaries, and possessing generally 

 tolerably regular dimensions, which is also permeable by fluid injections. It should 

 also appear that their formation depends upon the two sides of contiguous vesicles, 

 leaving at their angles a little space, which becomes converted into one of these 

 minute vessels. Nothing has been ascertained with respect to their office. 



Another paper, by Edwin Lankester, M.D., F.L.S., B.S.E., &c, " On some Ab- 

 normal forms of Fungi, with Remarks on their Morphology," was read. The Fungus 



