290 TABLES OF CONSTANTS OF NATURE AND ART. 



These may be extracted from the writings of Brewster, Mitscherlich, 

 Herschel, Biot. 



5. Number of known species of mammalia, birds, reptiles, fishes, 

 mollusca, worms, Crustacea, insects, zoophytes. 



These classes might be further subdivided. 



Additional columns should show how many of each are found in a 

 fossil state, and the proportion between the fossils of existing and ex- 

 tinct species. 



6. List of mammalia, containing columns expressing height, length, 

 weight, weight of skeleton, weight of each bone, its greatest length, 

 its smallest circumference, its specific gravity; also the number of 

 young at a birth, the number of pulsations per minute whilst the 

 animal is in repose, the number of inspirations in the same circum- 

 stances, period of blindness after birth, period of sucking, period of 

 maturity, temperature, average duration of life, proportion of males 

 to females produced. 



It would be desirable to select some bone for the unity of weight, 

 and perhaps of measure, and to give the proportion of all the other 

 bones to this standard one. The numerical relations thus established 

 might perhaps in some cases identify the sexes, or even the races of 

 the human species, when only a few bones were found. It would also 

 be highly interesting to compare the relative weight of the bones of 

 persons employed in different trades, and of persons dying from certain 

 constitutional diseases. 



7. Of man. Average weight at various periods of existence^ height 

 of ditto, tables of mortality in various places, average duration of 

 reigns of sovereigns ; proportions of the sexes born under various 

 circumstances ; proportion of marriages under various circumstances ; 

 quantity of air consumed per hour ; quantity of food necessary for 

 daily support ; average proportion of sickness amongst working 

 classes ; proportion of persons dying from different diseases. 



Many of these facts may be found in the writings of Villerme, Quete- 

 let, Bailly, Milne, etc. 



8. Power of man and animals. 



A man laboring ten per hours per day will saw ( ) square feet of deal, 

 ditto ( ) elm, ditto ( ) oak, etc., ditto Portland stone, ditto Purbeck ; 

 days labor in mowing, ploughing, etc., etc., every kind of labor, 

 raising water one foot high, horse ditto, ox or cow ditto, camel. 



Power of steamengines in Cornwall. 



Inclination of a road, both in degrees and number of feet, etc., or 

 of a base on wkich carriages and horses can trot, walk ; on which 

 horses cannot ascend, on which man cannot, on which a cart cannot 

 ascend. 



9. Vegetable kingdom. Number of species known of monocotyle- 

 donous plants; number of species of dicotyledonous plants. 



Number of species of the various natural groups. 

 Additional columns should show the number of species known in a 

 fossil state, together with that of extinct fossil species. 



Also, average weight of vegetable produce of one acre in a year, 



