246 The Descent of Man. Pabt U. 



are closely like those wliioli occur with mankind, when a small and 

 thinly-pcrpulated area ia considei ed ; thus in 1856 the male horses weie 

 as 107-1, and in 18117 as only 926 to 100 females. In the tabulated 

 returns the projiortions vary in cycles, for the males exceeded the 

 fcmiiles durinf? t-ix succebsive years ; and the females exceeded the 

 males during two peiinds each of four years: this, however, may be 

 acci.len al ; at h iist I can ilitect nothing of the kind with man in the 

 di'eeunial table in tbe Registrar's Keport for 1866. 



X)ogt.. — During a peiiud of twelve years, from 1857 to 186S, the births 

 of a lai-ge number of g)-eyhnunds, throughout England, were sent to 

 the ' Field' newspaper ; and I am again indebted to Mr. Tegetmeier foi' 

 carefully tabulating the results. The recorded biiths were 6878. 

 consisting of 3605 males and 3273 females, that is, in the proportion of 

 llO'l males to 100 females. The greatest fluctuations occurred in 

 18t)4, when the proportion was as 95'3 males, and in 1867, as 1163 

 males to 100 females. The above average proponion of llO'l to 100 is 

 probably nearly correct in the case of the greyhound, but whether it 

 would hold with other domesticated breeds is in some degree doubtful. 

 Mr. Cupples has enquired I'rom several great breeders of dogs, and iinds 

 that all without exception believe that females are produced in exeese ; 

 but he suggests that this belief may have arisen from females beiiig 

 li ss valued, and from the consequent disappointment producing a 

 stronger impr( ssion on the mind. 



Sheep. — The sexes of sheep are not asccrtaini d by agriculturists unlil 

 several month- after birth, at the period when the males are castrated ; 

 so that the tollnwin>; returns do not give the proportions at biith. 

 Moreover, I ttnd that several great breeders in Scotland, who annually 

 raise some thouaand sheep, are firmly convinced that a larger proportion 

 of males than of females die during the first year or two. Therefore the 

 proportion of males would be somewhat larger at birth than attheageof 

 castration. This is a remarkable coincidence with what, as we I ave 

 seen, occurs with mankind, and both cases probably depend on the 

 same cause. 1 have reeeived returns from four gentlemen in England 

 who have bred Liwland sheep, chieiiy Leicesters, during the last ten to 

 sixteen years ; they amount altogether to 8:^65 births, consisting of 

 4407 males and 4558 females; that ia in the proportion of 96 7 males to 

 100 females. With respect to Chevioi; and black-faced sheep bred in 

 Scotland, 1 have received returns from ax breeders, two of them on a 

 large scale, chiefly fur the years 1867-1869, but some of the returns 

 extend back to 1862. The total number recorded amounts to 50.6H5, 

 consisting of 25,071 males and 25,614 females, or in the proportion oiF 

 97.9 males to 100 females. If we take the English and Scotch returns 

 together, the total number amounts to 59,650, consisting of 29,478 

 males and 30,172 females, or as 97'7 to 100. So that with theep at th« 

 age of castration the females are certainly in excess of the males, but 

 probably this would not hold good at hirth.*» 



Of Cattle I have rco.ived returns from nine gentlemen of 982 births, 

 too few to be trusted ; these consisted of 477 bull-calves and 505 cow- 



" I am much indebted to Mr. tion to the premature deaths of tht 



Cupples for having procured for me males, — a statement subsequently 



the above returns from Scotland, as confirmed by Mr. Aitchison and 



well as some of the foUowiag re- others. To this latter gentlem.iu, 



turns on cattle. Mr. R. Elliot of and to Mr. Payan, I owe my th iiik.« 



Laighvvood, first called my atten- ior large returns us to sheep. 



