VOL. XXVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 541 



Foetus tells us, that he had it from his colleague Monaeus, that the child cried 

 in his wife's womb ; and the same happened to the wives of Mr. Salmuth, and 

 Mr. Groenwolt. His next relation is that of Dr. Needham, of the foetus cry- 

 ing in the womb of an English woman of quality, as she, her husband, and 

 chaplain were together at supper. See the doctor's book De formato Foetu. 

 The last instance is of Christian II. king of Denmark, who was heard to cry 

 before he was born. Now these being cases attested by persons who may be 

 supposed of better understanding than the fanciful vulgar, seem to claim some- 

 what more of credit: the latter being the case of a king, and in all probability 

 heard by some of the best quality about the court ; the next heard by the 

 chaplain as well as persons of quality themselves, and that three times succes- 

 sively ; and the former coming within the cognizance of men of learning. 



On this whole evidence (and more I could have added, even from the time 

 of Hippocrates) I conclude, that the foetus does really cry sometimes in the 

 womb ; though how this is performed, is hard to account for : surely not with- 

 out respiration. And therefore I am apt to think, that though the foetus does 

 not usually breathe in the womb, yet it is possible for it to have an occasional 

 temporary respiration there. But whether in such respiration, any of the blood 

 passes into the lungs, or whether it does not continue its circulation through 

 the foramen ovale only : or if any more than ordinary blood should by such 

 respiration get into the lungs, whether it may not easily, and without inconve- 

 nience be discharged thence, during that state of life the foetus leads in the 

 womb: all these doubts I must confess myself unable to determine. 



As to the pipping of chickens in the egg, about which Etmuller has the 

 same doubt, as of the vagitus uterinus, I have myself often heard that, both 

 from chickens and ducks. And a person, more conversant in such matters 

 than myself, assures me, that a little before the hatching, she has often heard 

 it ; and can at any time cause some chickens, and ducklings, to pip in the 

 egg. She says, that sometimes whole nests of eggs will yield a cry, at other 

 times only some particular eggs : but that such eggs as have once afforded a 

 pipping, may be made to pip and cry at any time, by shaking the egg, and 

 putting the youngling into a disorder. And sometimes, where no noise has 

 been before heard, the bird has been made to cry, by shaking the egg in which 

 it was enclosed. 



The cause of this pip in the shell, I take to be from some uneasiness the 

 young bird may find there. It being arrived to its perfect state in the eggy is 

 either weary of its confinement and desires more liberty; or else it lies un- 

 easily, or is offended with shaking, and therefore pips and cries, as when 

 uneasy out of the shell. 



