383 



Abstracts of the Weather for June, July, August and September 

 1841; as also the Determination of the Temperature at Singapore. 



Tide Reports for April, May and June 1841. 



3. From the Magnetic Observatory at Simla : — 



Abstracts of Magnetic and Meteorological Observations for No- 

 vember and December 1841. 



Magnetic Observations for February, May, October and Decem- 

 ber 1841, with Curves for the same period. 



April 28, 1842. 

 FRANCIS DAILY, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



A paper, entitled, " On the Organic Tissues in the bony structure 

 of the Corallidse." By J. S. Bowerbank, Esq., F.G.S., communi- 

 cated by Thomas Bell, Esq. F.R.S,, was resumed and concluded. 



The author submitted small portions of nearly seventy species of 

 bony corals to the action of diluted nitric acid, and thus obtained 

 their animal tissue, freed from calcareous matter, and floating on 

 the surface of the fluid in the form of a delicate flocculent mass. 

 By the aid of the microscope, this mass was found to be pervaded 

 by a complex reticulated vascular tissue, presenting numerous rami- 

 fications and anastomoses, with lateral branches terminating in 

 closed extremities. There were also found, interspersed among 

 these, another set of tubes, of larger diameter than the former, and 

 provided, in many places, with valves ; the branches from these 

 larger vessels occasionally terminate in ovoid bodies, having the 

 appearance of gemmules or incipient polypes. In other cases, 

 masses of still larger size, of a more spherical shape, and of a 

 brown colour, were observed attached to the membrane, and con- 

 nected with each other by a beautiful network of moniliform fibres. 

 Numerous siliceous spicula, pointed at both extremities and exceed- 

 ingly minute, were discovered in the membranous structure of se- 

 veral corals ; and also other spicula of larger size, terminated at 

 one extremity in a point, and at the other in a spherical head ; a 

 form bearing a striking resemblance to that of a common brass pin. 



Besides these spicula, the author noticed in these membranous 

 tissues a vast number of minute bodies, which he regards as identi- 

 cal with the nuclei of Mr. Robert Brown, or the cytoblasts of 

 Schleiden. 



A paper was also in part read, entitled, " Sixth Letter on Voltaic 

 Combinations," addressed to Michael Faraday, Esq., D.C.L., F.R.S., 

 &c. By John F. Daniell, Esq., For. Sec. R.S., Professor of Che- 

 mistry in King's College, London, &c. 



