U.S Published Application 2009/0047890 discloses a vent member including a support body provided with a through-hole, a permeable membrane to close the through-hole, and a cover part to cover the permeable membrane.  A ventilation hole is made in a ceiling portion of the cover part and a notch is made in a side wall portion thereof.  The ventilation hole and notch act as a passage for ventilation between the interior and the exterior of the cover part.  The ventilation hole does not overlap a permeable region of the permeable membrane in the axial direction.  Further, the side wall portion extends below a position at which the permeable membrane is disposed.  Therefore, the permeable membrane is protected along a circumferential direction by the side wall portion. 
Conventional vent covers or vent members are mounted on vent pipes of machines to allow an exchange of gases between the machine and an atmosphere.  These vent covers include multiple openings to allow the exchange of gases.  However, these openings may be disposed facing substantially upward into the atmosphere.  Hence, during operation of the machine in rainy or snowy conditions, liquid or solid matter, for example, water or ice, may be incident on the openings.  In such conditions, the openings may inadvertently allow the liquid or solid matter to enter the machine and negatively impact the working of the machine.