OiiAi'. VIII. Proportion of the Sexes. 247 



lalves ; i.e., in the proportion of 94;-4 males to 100 females. Tho Rev, 

 W. D. Fox informs me that in 1867 out of H4 calves born on a laim in 

 Derbyshire only one was a liull. Mr. Harrison Wtir hns enquired from 

 .several bveiders of P«p, and most of them eslim:ite the male to the 

 female births as about 7 to K. This same gentleman has bred liabbits 

 for many years, and has noticed that a far greater number of bucks are 

 pi-oduotd than does. But estinialions are of little value. 



Of mammalia in a state of nature I hiive been able to learn very 

 little. In regard to the coramnii lat, 1 have reeeived confl cting 

 statements. Mr. R. Eliiot, of Lnighwood, informs me that a rat-catchei 

 assured him that he had always found the males in great excess, even 

 with the young in the nest. In consequence of this, Mr. Elliot 

 himself subsequently examined some hundred old ones, and found the 

 statement true. Mr. F. Buckland has bred a large number of white 

 rats, and he also believes that the males greatly exceed tlie females. 

 In regard to Moles, it is said that " the males are much more numerous 

 " than the females ;"" and as the catching of these animals is a special 

 oecupation, the statement may perhaps be trusted. Sir A. Smith, in 

 dedcribing an antelope of S. Afiica^' (^Kohus Mipsiprymnun), remarks, 

 that in the herds of this and other species, the mali s are few in number 

 pompaied w.th the females : the natives believe that they are born in 

 this proportion; others b.lieve that the younger males aro expelled 

 from the heids, and Sir A. Smith says, that though lie has himself 

 never seen herds consisting of young males alone, otiiers affirm that 

 this does oocnr It appears probable that the young when expelled 

 from the herd, would often fall a prey to the many beasts of piey of the 

 Bountiy. 



BIRDS. 



W.th respect to the Fowl, I have received only one account, namely, 

 that out of 1001 chickens of a highly-bred stuck of C>/ehiiis, reared 

 during eight years by Mr. Stretch, 487 proved males and 514 females; 

 i.e., as 94'7 to 100. In regard to dumeotio pigeons tl ere is good 

 evidence either that the males are produced in excess, or that they live 

 longer ; for these birds invariably pair, and single males, as Mr. Teget- 

 meier informs me, can always be purchased cheaper than females. 

 Usually the two birds reared from the two eggs laid in the same mst 

 are a male and a female ; but Mr. Harrison Weir, who has been so large 

 a breeder, says that lie has often bred two cocks from the same nest, 

 and seldom two hens ; moreover, the hen is generally the weaker of the 

 two, and more liable to perish. 



With respect to biids in a state of nature, Mr. Gould and others"^ 

 are convinced that the males are generally the more numerous ; and 

 as the young males of many species resemble the females, the latter 

 would naturally appear to be the more numerous. Laige numbers of 

 pheasants are reared by Mr. Baker of Leadenhall from eggs laid by wild 

 birds, and he informs Mr. Jenner Weir that four or five males to one 

 female are generally produced. An experienced observer remarks." 



" Bell, ' History of British Quad- iv. s. 990) comes to the same oon- 



rupeds,' p. 100. elusion. 



" 'Illustrations of the Zoology "^ On the authority of I.. Llojd, 



ef S. Africa,' 1849, ]il. 29. 'Game Birds of SweUea,' 18tJ7, pp 



" BielimC'lllust. Thierleb«n,'B. 12,132 



