<^24 THE DESCENT OF MAN 



several great breeders in Scotland, wlio annually raise some 

 thousand sheep, are firmly conyinced 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 at the age of castration. This is a remarkable 

 coincidence with what, as we have seen, occurs with man- 

 kind, and both cases probably depend on the same cause. 

 I have received returns from four gentlemen in England 

 who have bred Lowland sheep, chiefly Leicesters, during 

 the last ten to sixteen years ; they amount altogether to 8,965 

 births, consisting of 4,407 males and 4,558 females; that is 

 in the proportion of 96.7 males to 100 females. With respect 

 to Cheviot and blackfaced sheep bred in Scotland, I have 

 received returns from six breeders, two of them on a large 

 scale, chiefly for the years 1867^69, but some of the returns 

 extend back to 1862. The total number recorded amounts 

 to 50,685, consisting of 25,071 males, and 25,614 females, or 

 in the proportion of 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 sheep at the age of 

 castration the females are certainly in excess of the males, 

 but probably this would not hold good at birth. " 



Of Cattle I have received returns from nine gentlemen 

 of 982 births, too few to be trusted; these consisted of 477 

 bull-calves and 505 cow-calves; i.e., in the proportion of 

 94.4 males to 100 females. The Eev. W. D. Fox informs 

 me that in 1867, out of 34 calves born on a farm in Derby- 

 shire, only one was a bull. Mr. Harrison Weir has inquired 

 from several breeders of Pigs, and most of them estimate 

 the male to the female births as about 7 to 6. This same 

 gentleman has bred Babbits for many years, and has noticed 



'' I am mucli indebted to Mr. Cupples for having procured for me the ahove 

 returns from Scotland, as well as some of the following returns on cattle. Mr. 

 E. Elliot, of Laighwood, first called my attention to the premature deaths of the 

 males — a statement subsequently confirmed by Mr. Aitchisou and others. To 

 this latter gentleman, and to Mr. Payan, I owe my thanks for large returns 

 as to sheep. 



