SEX. 



311 



the female births have been as 106.2 to 100; but 

 during this period it has occurred five times in one 

 department and six times in another that the female 

 births have exceeded the male." 



" In some districts of Norway," according to Prof. 

 Faye, "there has been, during a decennial period, a 

 steady deficiency of boys, while in others the opposite 

 condition has existed." 2 



It is worthy of notice that the excess of male over 

 female births is diminished in the case of illegitimate 

 children. 



Mr. Babbage has compiled the following table : 3 



In England, according to Walfor .1, from 1851 to 

 1869 the proportion of males in illegitimate births 

 was smaller than in the case of legitimate births in 

 the years 1851, '53, '56, '57, '60, '62, and 65, and 

 larger in the years 1852, '54, '55, '58, '59, '61, '63, '64, 

 '66, '67, '68, and '69, a preponderance being in favor 

 of an increase of males in illegitimate births. 4 



1 " Descent of Man," vol. L, p. 291. 



2 Darwin, loc. cit., p. 291. 



3 Dunglison's " Physiology," vol. ii., p. 411. 



4 Walford's " Insurance Cyclopaedia," vol. i., p. 315. 



