Growth, Decay, and Death. :i ( .i7 



from six months up to three years of age the increase was 

 at the rate of -7 lb. per diem. 



With calves, according to Torcy,* the mean weight at 

 birth is 77 lbs,, the daily increase during the first year is 

 1*5 lbs., during the second year 15 lbs., during the third 

 year T43 lbs., during the fourth year 1*32 lbs. 



With sheep the daily increase in weight is still more 

 rapid : a lamb will in ten days gain 50 per cent, on its 

 original weight, will double its weight at the end of the 

 first month, and triple it at the end of the second. 



Swine present, however, the most rapid increase in 

 weight, for, according to the authorities quoted, a pig will 

 increase 20 per cent, in its weight per diem during the 

 first week, and up to the end of the first year is adding 

 •44 lbs. daily to its body weight. 



The growth of the body implies an increase in weight and 

 height ; from what we have said respecting the limbs, it 

 may be judged that the amount of growth of each part is 

 not the same : the eyes, ears, brain, kidneys, and liver grow 

 less rapidly than the other parts, owing to their com- 

 paratively large size at birth ; the greatest increase is in the 

 skeleton and muscles, and the rate of this increase we have 

 just alluded to ; the least increase is in the eyes and the 

 ears, and the limbs below the knee and hock. 



But few observations have been made on the rate of 

 growth. Percivalf many years ago drew up a table, which 

 he considered very imperfect, as to the rate at which some 

 horses of his regiment grew, from which he showed that the 

 increase in height between 2 years and 3 years was on 

 an average one inch, between 3 years and 4 years one-third 

 of an inch, and between 4 years and 5 years one-third 

 of an inch. Of 35 two-year- olds, 2 did not grow in the year ; 

 of 144 three year-olds, 17 did not increase in height during 

 the year ; of 48 four- year-olds, 7 did not grow during the 

 year ; and of 11 five-year-olds, only 9 grew during the year. 



These numbers are too small to generalize from ; there 



* Quoted by Colin. 



f 'Lectures on Form and Action.' 



