(no subject)
Parrot, 2*3. This animal was found to offer excellent opportunities
for undisturbed observation. Variations due to the playing of different
tunes on the gramophone were recorded. The following figures are for
7-blink intervals:-
Normal . . . . 17 18 17 16 15 16 15
Music (Foxtrot) . . . 23 27 29 25 26 25 23
(Selection) . . . 24 33 44 38 31 35 30
(Parsifal) . . . 18 20 14 19 23 19 19
During the last piece the bird yawned and appeared drowsy;
many full closures were evident. At this stage he was prodded
with a pencil to wake him up; his next blinks occupied 26, 24, 22,
21, 19, 20, 20, 17. The irregular rate of blinking during the playing
of the selection may possibly be due to the variations in the type
of music: part of it loud, and part of it lively.
During the return of the eyelids to the position of rest after blinking,
it was noticed that the lower lid moved at a much slower rate than the
upper one; this was not seen in any other animal.
[STUDIES OF THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EYELIDS OF
ANIMALS: BLINKING. By W. P. BLOUNT. From the
Department of Physiology, Edinburgh University, and the
Department of Physiology, Royal (Dick) Veterinary College.]
[1927]
for undisturbed observation. Variations due to the playing of different
tunes on the gramophone were recorded. The following figures are for
7-blink intervals:-
Normal . . . . 17 18 17 16 15 16 15
Music (Foxtrot) . . . 23 27 29 25 26 25 23
(Selection) . . . 24 33 44 38 31 35 30
(Parsifal) . . . 18 20 14 19 23 19 19
During the last piece the bird yawned and appeared drowsy;
many full closures were evident. At this stage he was prodded
with a pencil to wake him up; his next blinks occupied 26, 24, 22,
21, 19, 20, 20, 17. The irregular rate of blinking during the playing
of the selection may possibly be due to the variations in the type
of music: part of it loud, and part of it lively.
During the return of the eyelids to the position of rest after blinking,
it was noticed that the lower lid moved at a much slower rate than the
upper one; this was not seen in any other animal.
[STUDIES OF THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EYELIDS OF
ANIMALS: BLINKING. By W. P. BLOUNT. From the
Department of Physiology, Edinburgh University, and the
Department of Physiology, Royal (Dick) Veterinary College.]
[1927]