^\? 



238 



living, and that owing to the absence of a dense population 

 the former is comparatively unaffected by those artificial evils 

 attendant upon crowded centres of population. 



These considerations, together with our fortunate immunity 

 from the pestilence of war, help us in some measure to ex- 

 plain the greater extent of agreement which has been demon- 

 strated to exist between the several death-rates of the various 

 colonies as contrasted with the death-rate variations of the 

 European States, and it is also conceivable that a greater 

 freedom from the artificial disturbances referred to makes the 

 death-rate of Australasia a more sensitive index of complex 

 super-terrestrial influences. 



These observations together with the accompanying tables, 

 it is hoped, will serve to excite greater interest in this import- 

 ant subject. I desire in conclusion to repeat that at present 

 the coincidences pointed out by me are more suggestive than 

 conclusive as regards the relations commented upon. I have 

 not ventured to tabulate the death-rate of Australasia prior 

 to 1864, as, owing to the absence of proper records of migra- 

 tion, the estimates of population during the earlier years are 

 not trustworthy. There is sufiicient evidence however to 

 conclude that in the years 1853-1856 the death-rates in 

 Tasmania and Victoria, at least, were unusually high. This 

 period also corresponds with the position of Jupiter in his 

 orbit between perihelion and aphelion, and also with the 

 minimum sunspot period. 



Doubtless there are other complex relations which obscure 

 the question under consideration, but the independent obser- 

 vations now carried on in all parts of the world by so many 

 skilled investigators will sooner or later enable us to under- 

 stand them more thoroughly than we do at the present time. 



Comparative table showing the suggested coincidence 

 between the death-rate and certain super-terrestrial pheno- 

 mena : — 



