66 DARWINISM AND RACE PROGRESS. 



the full report, I see that the fall in that period is in 

 large measure due to the decreased mortality of 

 those over 75, a time of life very susceptible to 

 climatic influences. 



On the whole, Group II. indicates that the death- 

 rate above 35 is increasing, for if we add together 

 any two consecutive periods, say 1841-50 and 1851- 

 60, we shall find that the mortality of the last 

 twenty years is greater than that of the first. By 

 taking in this way longer periods of time, we can 

 eliminate factors other than the time factor, and we 

 can, at any rate, feel strongly suspicious that the 

 mortality of middle and advanced life is on the 

 increase. 



The same results can, perhaps, even more con- 

 clusively be demonstrated by a study of tables show- 

 ing the expectancy of life. 



Life Tables compared. 



The late Dr. Farr constructed tables showing the 

 expectancy of life calculated upon the death-rates of 

 the years 1838-54, and similar tables have more 

 recently been constructed by Dr. Ogle, from the 

 death-rates of the years 1871-80. In the case of 

 male children newly-born, a child born in the first 

 period could expect to live 39*91 years if he lived to 

 an average age ; a child born in the second period 



