320 THE DESCENT OF MAN 



births is decidedly larger than with Christians: thus in 

 Prussia the proportion is as 113, in Breslau as 114, and 

 in Livonia as 120 to 100; the Christian hirths in these 

 countries being the same as usual; for instance, in Livonia 

 as 104 to 100.^° Prof. Faye remarks that, "a still greater 

 preponderance of males would be met with if death struck 

 both sexes in equal proportion in the womb and during 

 birth. But the fact is, that for every 100 still-born females 

 we have in several countries from 134.6 to 144.9 still-born 

 males. During the first four or five years of life, also, more 

 male children die than females; for example, in England, 

 during the first year, 126 boys die for every 100 girls — a 

 proportion which in France is still more unfavorable."" 

 Dr. Stockton- Hough accounts for these facts in part by 

 the more frequent defective development of males than of 

 females. We have before seen that the male sex is more 

 variable in striicture than the female; and variations in im- 

 portant organs would generally be injurious. But the size 

 of the body, and especially of the head, being greater in 

 male than female infants is another cause; for the males 

 are thus more liable to be injured during parturition. Con- 

 sequently the still-born males are more numerous; and, as 

 a highly competent judge. Dr. Crichton Browne, " believes, 

 male infants often siiffer in health for some years after birth. 

 Owing to this excess in the death-rate of male children, both 



™ In regard to the Jews, see M. Thury, "La Loi de Production des Sexes," 

 1863, p. 25. 



*' "British, and Foreign Medico-Chirurg. Eeview," April, 1867, -p. 343. 

 Dr. Stark also remarks ("Tenth Annual Report of Births, Deaths, etc., in Scot- 

 land," 1867, p. xxviii.) that "These examples may suffice to show that, at 

 almost every stage of life, the males in Scotland have a greater liability to death 

 and a higher death-rate than the females. The fact, however, of this pecu- 

 liarity being most strongly developed "at that infantile period of life when the 

 dress, food, and general treatment of both sexes are alike, seems to prove that 

 the higher male death-rate is an impressed, natural, and constitutional peculiarity 

 due to sex alone." 



s2 "West Biding Lunatic Asylum Eeports," vol. i., 1871, p. 8. Sir J. 

 Simpson has proved that the head of the male infant exceeds that of the female 

 by three-eights of an inch in circumference, and by one-eighth in transverse 

 diameter. Quetelet has shown that woman is born smaller than man; see 

 Dr. Duncan, "Fecundity, Fertility, Sterility," 1871, p. 882. 



