II. a 



GROWTH 



73 



of these results are collected in the following- table (Table VII), 

 from which it may be gathered that the variability diminishes at 

 first, then rises until it attains a maximum at about the time 

 of puberty, and then diminishes again, reaching finally a value 

 which is lower than the original. The values for the coefficient 

 obtained by the different investigators are fairly similar, and 

 agree very well with those first given by Pearson (for male 

 new-born infants, weight 15-66, stature 6-50; for male adults, 

 weight 10-83, stature 3-66). It may be seen from the values for 

 the new-born that the variability has already undergone a diminu- 

 tion before the age at which the other observations begin. 



TABLE VII 



Showing the change in the value of the coefficient of variability in the 

 male Human being during growth. 



Coefficient of variability { x 100 ). 



Further, the variability does not merely diminish as the 

 animal grows older. Its diminution accompanies the diminu- 

 tion in the rate of growth, and when as at the time of puberty 

 in man that rate increases, the variability increases too. 



The variability of such parts as have been examined for the 



