PROPORTION OF SEXES. 725 



indications of convolutions ; testicles descend into internal ring ; middle point nearer the 

 umbilicus than the sternum. 



Fcctus of 9 months, I he full term. Length from 17 to 21 inches: weight from 5 to 9 Ibs., 

 the average probably about 6^ Ibs.; head covered with hair in greater or less quantity, of 

 from 9 to 12 lines in length; skin covered with sebaceous matter, especially at bends of 

 joints ; membrana pupillaris no longer exists ; external auditory meatus still cartilaginous ; 

 four portions of occipital bone remain distinct ; os hyoides not yet ossified ; point of ossi- 

 fication in the centre of cartilage at lower extremity of femur ; white and grey substances 

 of brain become distinct; liver descends to umbilicus;- testes have passed inguinal ring, 

 and are frequently found in scrotum; meconium at termination of large intestine; middle 

 point of body at umbilicus, or a little below it. 



948. Even at Birth, there is a manifest difference in the physical conditions 

 of Infants of different sexes ; for, in the average of a large number, there is a 

 decided preponderance on the side of the Males, both as to the Length and 

 the Weight of the body. 



a. The Length of the body in fifteen new-born infants of each sex, as ascertained by Qne- 

 telet,* was as follows : 



Males. Females. Total. 



From 16 to 17 inchest (French) . . 2 4 6 



17 to 18 8 19 27 



- 18 to 19 28 18 46 



19 to 20 12 8 20 



- 20 to 21 1 1 



From these observations, the mean and the extremes of the Lengths of the Male and Female 

 respectively, were calculated to be, 



Males. Females. 



Minimum . . 16 inches, 2 lines 16 inches, 2 lines 



Mean IS 6 18 lj 



Maximum 19 8 20 6 



Notwithstanding that the maximum is here on the side of the Female (this being an acci- 

 dental result, which would probably have been otherwise, had a larger number been ex- 

 amined), the average shows a difference of 4J lines in favour of the Male. 



b. The inequality in the Weight of the two is even more remarkable; the observations of 

 M. QueteletJ were made upon 63 male and 56 female infants. 



Infants weighing from Males. Females. Total. 



1 to 1^ kilog. 1 1 



Ii to 2 1 1 



2 to 2 3 7 10 



2J to 3 13 14 27 



3 to 3 28 23 51 



3 to 4 14 7 21 



4 to 4 5 3 8 



The extremes and means were as follows : 



Males. Females. 



Minimum . . . 2-34 kilog. 1-12 



Mean .... 3-20 2-91 



Maximum . . . 4-50 4-25 



c. The average weight of infants of both sexes, as determined by these inquiries, is 3 - 05 

 kilog. or 6'7 Ibs. ; and this corresponds almost exactly with the statement of Chaussier, whose 

 observations were made upon more than 20,000 infants. The mean obtained by him, with- 

 out reference to distinction of sex, was 6'75 Ibs. ; the maximum being 11-3 Ibs., and the mini- 

 mum 3'2 lbs.|| The average in this country is probably rather higher; according to Dr. 

 Joseph Clarke,1T whose inquiries were made on 60 males and 60 females, the average of 



* Sur L'Homme, torn. ii. p. 8. 



t The French inch is about one-fifteenth more than the English. 

 j Op. cit, torn. ii. p. 35. 



The kilogramme is equal to 2^ Ibs. avoirdupois. 



|| These numbers have been erroneously stated in many Physiological works ; owing to 

 the difference between the French and English pound not having been allowed for. 

 IT Philosophical Transactions, vol. Ixxvi. 



61* 





