Findings from two separate studies seem to indicate that women give off subtle signals when they're in the most fertile part of their cycle. Jerry Lee Lewis wasn't completely off the mark when he sang about Chantilly Lace, "a wiggle in her walk and a giggle in her talk make the world go 'round."

Research conducted by a team at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque found that lap dancers earned significantly more in tips during the most fertile periods of their menstrual cycles. The study compared the earnings of dancers who were menstruating naturally (uh, DURING the lap dance? In a thong?) with those of dancers on a hormonal contraceptive pill which suppresses oestrus (or "heat"). During non-fertile times, the dancers' tips were similar, but when the naturally cycling dancers hit their fertile phase, their tips increased.

A biologist from the University of New Mexico, amusingly named Randy Thornhill, wonders if men are "detecting the scent of oestrus? Or does the women's behavior change?" Obviously, he needs to spend a bit more time in the chair doing his research.

But it may be that women move differently depending on the objective. A separate study from Queen's University in Ontario, Canada showed that women have the sexiest walk when they're at the LEAST fertile part of their cycle. Researchers think women use a variety of signals to advertise their fertility - or conceal it - depending on the situation.

For the Canadian study, female volunteers were dressed in suits covered with light markers placed along joints and limbs, so researchers could film each woman walking and then analyze her gait. They also collected saliva samples to find out whether each woman was in the more or less fertile phase of her menstrual cycle. The women who were fertile walked with smaller hip movements and with their knees closer together. When men were shown the images of the women walking, they rated those in the LESS fertile part of their cycle (with larger hip movements and knees further apart) as having the sexiest walks. (Some of us might argue that the only way we CAN walk with a bushel of cotton shoved up our woo-woo is with larger hip movements and knees further apart).

Canadian researcher Meghan Provost says the results from both studies are not necessarily contradictory. An intimate signal (such as that during a lap dance) would be appropriate to give someone at close range - someone a woman has decided is a worthy mate (or at least one with a fat wallet). On the other hand, since men can determine the attractiveness of a woman from a long distance, it might be evolutionally preferable to have a less sexy walk around the time of ovulation to prevent undesirable men from thinking they're getting an invitation.

Provost says "More and more research is being published indicating that ovulation perhaps should be considered unadvertised instead of concealed." Although, when enjoying a lap dance, I'm certain most men are NOT thinking, "Dang! Would you get a load of the ovulation on THAT one!"