#define BITCOUNT(x) (((BX_(x)+(BX_(x)>>4)) & 0x0F0F0F0F) % 255)
#define  BX_(x) ((x) - (((x)>>1)&0x77777777) - (((x)>>2)&0x33333333) - (((x)>>3)&0x11111111))

-- really weird C code to count the number of bits in a word
( VJ Army profile )