Natural History. 439 



epispartic than the female, and this property is more active in pro- 

 portion as it is more quickly killed, for if it be kept alive only a few 

 hours it sensibly diminishes. In the same genus the species are 

 more or less vesicatory. The metoe autumnalis is less so than the 

 majalisy and more than the meloe reticulata, and the mtloe tuccia 

 is infinitely less. The rissiphorus bimaculatus and Jiabellatus are 

 without action, while the rissiphorus subdipterus is slightly epis- 

 partic ; the zonitis prceusta is innocuous, and the zonitis punctata 

 is sensibly active. The period of coupling seems to be that in 

 which this faculty is most developed. The author proposes during 

 this time to collect them, but precautions will then be necessary to 

 prevent the collection made being injurious to the produce of the 

 ensuing year. — Journal du Pharmacie. 



31. Ratio of the Birth of Males and Females relative to the Age, fyc. 

 of the Parents, by Professor Hofacker. 



i. In marriages, where the mother is older than the father, the 

 number of boys (which generally is in the ratio of 101 : 100) is to 

 that of the girls :: 90*6 : 100. 



ii. When the parents are of the same age, the ratio of the boys 

 to the girls is 92 : 100. 



iii. If the father be from 3 to 6 years older than the mother, 103*4 

 boys : 100 girls, nearly the ordinary proportion in Europe. 



iv. If the father be from 6 to 9 years older than the mother, 

 boys : girls :: 1247 : 100. 



v. If the father be from 9 to 12 or more years older than the 

 mother, boys : girls :: 145*7 : 100. 



vi. If the father be 18 years and upwards older than the mother, 

 boys : girls :: 200 : 100. 



vii. Young men, from 24 to 36 years of age, with young women 

 from 16 to 26, change the ratio to 116*6 boys : 100 girls. 



viii. Young men, with older wives, between 36 and 46 years of 

 age, have boys : girls :: 95*4 : 100. 



ix. Men of a middle age (from 36 to 48 years) with young wives, 

 have boys : girls :: 176*9 : 100. 



x. Middle aged men (from 36 to 48 years) with wives of a middle 

 age, have boys : girls :: 114*3 : 100. 



xi. Middle aged men (from 36 to 48 years) with older wives, 

 have boys : girls :: 109*2 : 100. 



xii. Older men (from 48 to 60) with young wives, have given no 

 determinable result, on account of the small number of observations. 



xiii. Older men with wives of a middle age, have boys : girls 

 :: 190 : 100. 



xiv. Older men with older wives, boys : girls :: 164 : 100. 



Many of the above proportions are directly at variance with 

 those of M. Girou de Buzaiengues, and to ascertain the value of 

 them, we should know the data on which they rest, and which have 

 not been given. 



