314 PRINCIPLES OF STOCK-BREEDING. 



only 92.6 to 100 females. In the tabulated returns 

 the proportions vary in cycles, for the males exceeded 

 the females during six successive years, and the fe- 

 males exceeded the males during two -periods each of 

 four years." * 



A writer in the London Field (probably Mr. 

 Tegetmeier) in 1868 makes the statement that, " dur- 

 ing the past four years," 3,241 fillies against 3,102 

 colts have been produced. 8 



Of cattle, Mr. Darwin " received returns from nine 

 gentlemen, of 982 births, too few to be trusted. These 

 consisted of 477 bull-calves and 505 cow-calves ; i. e., 

 in the proportion of 94.4 males to 100 females." 3 



Mr. C. L Bement gives the record of the birth 

 of 62 animals in 1839-'43, of which 36 were males 

 and 26 females a proportion of 138.4 males to 100 

 females. 



" In another record of Short-Horn cattle, 54 bull 

 and 52 cow calves were produced a proportion of 

 103.8 male to 100 female calves." And " in another 

 case, out of 573 entries of Short-Horn births, 235 of 

 the calves were male, and 238 female a proportion 

 here of 98.3 males to 100 females." 4 



Mr. Darwin " received returns from four gentle- 



1 Loc. cit., pp. 293, 294. In a note, p. 293, Mr. Darwin says: "Dur- 

 ing 1866, 809 male colts and 816 female colts were born, and 743 

 mares failed to produce offspring. During 1867, 836 males and 902 

 females were born, and 794 mares failed." 



a Country Gentleman, September, 1868, p. 190. , 



3 Loc. cit., p. 295. 



4 Scientific Farmer, 1876, p. 166; the first item from the American 

 Journal of Medical Science, October, 1845, p. 520, and the last two from 

 the National Live-Stock Journal, 1872, p. 21, and 1874, p. 375. 



