124 Ciliary Motions in Reptiles and Warm-blooded 9 Animals. 



The duration of the vibrations is very different in different 

 cases. In the oviduct of birds, it persists for about half an hour 

 after death ; in the corresponding part of mammalia about 

 twenty minutes; and in both it lasts about half as long again in 

 the respiratory organs. Indeed, we found it very vigorous in % 

 the nose of a rabbit that had been dead two hours. 



We have already remarked how different the motion was in 

 different parts of the sexual organs of a rabbit that had been 

 three days impregnated. In gravid animals of this kind, the 

 motion exists on all the internal surface of the organs, excepting 

 those parts which adhere to the chorion or external envelope of 

 the foetuses. It is very strong in the small intervals, where the 

 surface of the membrane is free. We sought for it in vain, 

 however, in the uterus of a bitch which had pupped the day 

 before, and from whose organs a large quantity of liquid and 

 diluted blood was discharged. We reserve this point for our 

 future investigations. We have also endeavoured to ascertain 

 whether the vibratory motions are increased or diminished in in- 

 tensity by inflammation of the genital and respiratory organs. 

 There is one circumstance that seems to favour the first suppo- 

 sition, viz. that in a female rabbit killed a few days after the 

 access of the male, the motion was strongest in the lips of the 

 uterus, which were affected in a manner resembling inflamma- 

 tion. 



Although the vibratory motion is to be regarded more as a 

 general morphological phenomenon, yet we cannot entirely over- 

 look its particular uses. For, by its means, the secretions of 

 those mucous membranes on which it occurs may be conveyed 

 onwards, and many singular phenomena may perhaps be ac- 

 counted for in this way. Thus, for instance, when the bron- 

 chial mucus accumulates during a long uninterrupted sleep, 

 and is afterwards discharged, we do not bring it up from the 

 interior of the lungs, but only from the larynx or top of the 

 windpipe. But we refrain from pointing out further applica- 

 tions, that we may avoid the field of mere hypothesis, which is 

 here so tempting. 



Although we here speak of vibratory motions *, the term is 



* Flimmerbewegungen, of which word " vibratory motions" is not a literal 



