PHYSICAL DEGENERACY OR RACE SUICIDE? 523 



decline of the general birth rate only began after that date. This 

 eliminates six limited and 17 unlimited marriages, leaving 236 limited 

 and 57 unlimited. Again, a usual commencement of limitation ap- 

 pears to be after the birth of at least two children. Marriages con- 

 tracted in 1903, 1904 and 1905 should, therefore be deducted. This 

 leaves 212 limited and 41 unlimited for the period 1875 to 1902, both 

 years included, and including also four marriages the dates of which 

 were not reported, but which almost certainly fall within the period 

 named. But it must be further noted that no less than 13 of the 41 

 unlimited marriages were childless, and therefore no occasion for limi- 

 tation arose, unless the parents had desired a childless marriage. This 

 reduces the number of fertile and unlimited marriages during the 

 period 1875 to 1902 to 28 out of 252, or, if the infertile unlimited 

 marriages are deducted, 239. 



If we take the decade 1890-99, which may be regarded as the typical 

 period, we find that out of 120 marriages 107 are limited and 13 un- 

 limited, whilst of these 13 five and possibly six were childless at the 

 date of the return. In this decade, therefore, only seven or possibly 

 eight unlimited fertile marriages are reported out of a total of 120. 



In order to ascertain the effect of limitation on the size of families 

 let us next take the number of children born and living up to five years 

 of age, of all limited marriages from the earliest recorded (1867) to 

 and including 1903. 



Numbeb of Children of Limited Marriages 



Children in family... 0123456789 11 



Marriages 39 54 59 29 22 11 6 3 2 1 1 



Total Children 54 118 87 88 55 36 21 16 9 11 



That is, a total of 227 marriages and 495 children. But owing to 

 second marriages, which are not in all cases fully detailed, nine chil- 

 dren must be added, together with an uncertain number (say six) for 

 two other fruitful marriages mentioned but not reported. Altogether 

 the parents of these (say) 510 children number 452. This, however, 

 ignores expected children. 



Taking all limited marriages we may next ascertain what is the 

 probable total intended fertility. We can state the number of each 

 limited family in this form: 



Number living added to the number intended where stated; and, 

 secondly, number living plus an unspecified addition. Cases where the 

 return says ' two or three ' more children expected are classified as 2|, 

 and ' three or four ' as 3£. We then get the following results : 



Total Expected Fertility of Limited Marriages 



Intended size of family 3 1 2 2* 3 3j 4 56789 11 



Completed families 33 35 45 4 26 5 21 11 6 2 2 1 



Families with indeterminate additions .. 9 17 12 - 6- 4 1-100 1 



42 52 57 4 32 5 25 12 6 3 2 1 I 



