On Nutrition and Sex-determination in Man. 



271 



Hospital 1 , between the years 1894—1902 (and inclusive of still 

 births) there were 3625 ^s and 3313 ?s (see Table X, p. 273), 

 giving a proportion of 1094 ,/s : 100 $s — a proportion of <fs 

 markedly in excess of the normal. In 662 first births taken 

 from the records of the Lambeth Lying-in Hospital 2 there occurred 

 343 c/'s and 319 ?s, a proportion of 107-5 ^s : 100 ?s. Further, 

 from the genealogical data collected by Dr Rivers 3 in Torres 

 Straits I have been able to compile the following two Tables. 

 Table VIII refers to the natives of the islands of Mabuiag and 

 Badu, Table IX to those of Murray Island. Though the numbers 

 are not large it is of interest to find the same phenomenon as 

 well marked here as amongst Europeans. 



Table VIII. 



Total no. of children = 1159, No. of families = 372. 



1 I would here take the opportunity of thanking the authorities of this Hospital 

 for their courtesy in allowing my friend, Mr E. K. Williams, to have access to their 

 records. To Mr Williams I am greatly indebted for the trouble and care expended 

 in copying the particulars I required. 



2 For these figures I am indebted to Professor Karl Pearson. They form part 

 of a series of 2060 births in which the number of the pregnancy was noted in each 

 case. On the total series the proportion of 3 s to ? s was 108, i.e. much the same 

 as for first births only. This was due chiefly to the marked preponderance of <? s 

 after the third pregnancy (1149 is : 100 ? s). For the second and third preg- 

 nancies the proportions are 100-9 s s : 100 ? s, and 104 - 7 S s : 100 ? s respectively. 



3 The genealogical tables referred to will shortly be published in the Eeports of 

 the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits, Vol. v, and I would 

 here express my thanks to Dr Rivers for allowing me to examine the material before 

 its publication. 



18—2 



