626 



OF REPRODUCTION. 



in nearly the same degree, until about the age of 19 years. It appears, then, 

 that the Female comes to her full development* in regard to Height, earlier 

 than does the Male. It seems probable, from the observations of Gluetelet, 

 that the full Height of the Male is not generally attained until the age of 25 

 years. At about the age of 50, both Male and Female undergo a diminution 

 of their stature, which continues during the latter part of life. The propor- 

 tional Weight of the two sexes at different periods, corresponds pretty closely 

 with their height. Starting from birth, the predominance then exhibited by 

 the Male gradually increases during the first few years ; but towards the 

 period of puberty, the proportional weight of the Female increases ; and at 

 the age of 12 years, there is no difference between the two sexes in this 

 respect. The weight of the Male, however, then increases much more 

 rapidly than that of the Female, especially between the ages of 15 and 20 

 years ; after the latter period, there is no considerable increase on the side of 

 the Male, though his maximum is not attained until the age of 40 ; and there 

 is an absolute diminution on the part of the Female, whose weight remains 

 less during nearly the whole period of child-bearing. After the termination 

 of the parturient period, the weight of the Female again undergoes an in- 

 crease, and its maximum is attained about 50. In old age, the weight of both 

 sexes undergoes a diminution in nearly the same degree. The average 

 Weights of the Male and Female, that have attained their full development, 

 are twenty times those of the new-born Infant of the two sexes respectively. 

 The Height, on the other hand, is about 3| times as much. 



Fig. 189. 



774. The chief differences in the Constitution of the two sexes manifest 

 themselves during the period when the Generative function of each is in the 

 greatest vigour. Many of these distinctions have been already alluded to ; 

 but there are others of too great importance to be overlooked ; and these 

 chiefly relate to the Nervous System and its functions. There is no obvious 

 structural difference in the Nervous System of the two sexes (putting aside 

 the local peculiarities of its distribution to the organs of generation) ; save the 

 inferior size of the Cerebral Hemispheres in the Female. This difference, 

 which is not observed in other parts of the Encephalon, is readily accounted 

 for on the principles formerly stated ; when we compare the psychical character 



