COMMON THINGS MAN. 



seasons, it is found to be variable, and that its variation has a 

 marked and well-ascertained relation to the course of the seasons. 

 It is found generally in the temperate climates, that births are 

 more numerous in the three winter, and least so in the three 

 summer months. In approaching the colder climates, the epochs 

 of the maximum and minimum numbers are later, and in ap- 

 proaching the warmer climates earlier. 



30. The number of children which come into the world is not 

 equally shared between the sexes, the male always predomi- 

 nating. 



This fact has been established in all countries where statistical 

 registers have been kept; and it is remarkable, that although 

 the numerical proportion between the sexes is subject to some 

 variation from year to year, its mean amount in each country 

 is nearly invariable, though different in one country as com- 

 pared with another. Thus, on comparing the numbers of male 

 and female children baptised in England and Wales during the 

 first half of the present century, it is found that the number of 

 males invariably exceeded the number of females in a proportion, 

 varying from year to year, from 25 to 50 per 1000; the mean 

 result taken for the whole period showing, that for every thousand 

 girls born, there were one thousand and forty boys. 



In France, according to returns extended over 36 years, ter- 

 minating in 1852, it appears, that for every thousand girls there 

 were one thousand and sixty-one boys born. Thus the prepon- 

 derance of male births in France exceeds that in England in the 

 proportion of a little more than 6 to 4. 



By returns obtained from other countries where accurate sta- 

 tistics are kept, it has been found that the preponderance of 

 male births is intermediate between those of England and France, 

 the number of males being 1050 for every 1000 females. 



31. A very remarkable fact, indicating some undiscovered 

 physiological law, has been developed by the analysis of the 

 returns of the registrations of births obtained from France and 

 other countries where the most exact statistical records are kept. 

 It has been found generally, that in that particular class of chil- 

 dren, to which foundlings for the most part belong, the prepon- 

 derance of male births is considerably less than in the case of 

 marriage-born children. Such a circumstance would naturally 

 enough be regarded as merely accidental, if it were not found to 

 prevail invariably, at all epochs in all countries where registers 

 are kept with sufficient precision to test the fact, ar\jl in all pro- 

 vinces of the same country. Thus, for example, while in France 

 there are 1060 marriage -born boys for 1000 girls, there are only 

 1040 boys of the other class for the same number of girls ; and 



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