TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 



737 



and death-rates themselves, although these rates are of course indirectly affected 

 by the amount and propm'tion of immigration. It would he most important to 

 know what the decline in the birth-rate is by itself, and how far its eflects on the 

 growth of population have been mitigated or intensified by changes in the death- 

 rate ; but United States records general!}- give no help on tins head. 



Dealing with Australasia in the same way, we have the advautage of a direct 

 comparison of both birtli- and death-rates and the rate of the- excess of births over 

 deaths. This is done in the following tahle : — 



Birth-rate and Death-rate and Rate of Excess of BiHhs over Beatha in 



for undermentioned Fears. 



[From Mr. Coghlan's statistics.] 



Australasia 



Thus from a high birth-rate forty years ago Australasia has certainly gone 

 down to very ordinary birth-rates, lower than in the United Kingdom and in 

 Continental countries, and Australasia certainly has had heavy declines in the rate 

 of excess of hirtbs over deaths, viz., from 25-17 in 1861-65 to 15 in 1896-99, 

 which is to be compared with the decline in the United States, as above stated 

 approximately, from 28 in 1820-30, and 21 as late as 1860, to 13 in the last twenty 

 years. 



A similar tahle for England only gives the following results : — 



Birth-rate and Beath-rate and Rate of Excess of Births over Deaths in England 



for tondermentioned Years. 



JVoii-.— Highest birth-rate in 1876, 36-3. 



Here the birth-rates, to begin with, are not so high as in Australasia, and 

 presumably in the United States, and the excess of births over deaths, thouo-h it 

 has decliued a good deal since 1871-81, when it was highest, has been bv com- 

 parison fairly well maintained, being still 11 per 1,000, as compared with 122 in 

 1851. 



We have thus on one side a manifest decline in the rate of growth of population 

 in three large groups of population, coupled with a large decline of birth-rates in 

 England and Australasia where the facts are known, and a smaller decline in the 

 rate of the excess of births over deaths, this decline in England as yet being com- 

 paratively small. Such facts cannot but excite inquiry, and it is an excellent 



