[O&ober, 
618 Analyses of Books . 
matter. It appears that the spear grass of the coast country, 
near Rockhampton, pierces through the skin and flesh and kills 
sheep in a few days. 
Victorian Year-Book for 1880-81. By H. H. Hayter, Govern- 
ment Statist. Melbourne : Ferres. London : Robertson. 
We find here an extensive assortment of useful information. 
The general salubrity of the Australian colonies is still maintained, 
the general death-rate for the whole group including Tasmania 
and New Zealand, being, on the years 1873 to 1879 inclusive, 
only 15*44 per thousand, which is more favourable than that of 
any European country from which accurate returns are obtainable. 
The most fatal disease, as in England, is phthisis, and next to it 
diarrhoea. Cancer ranks eight in the scale. 
As regards the criminal statistics, drunkenness figures with 
sad prominence. Out of a total of 23,983 persons arrested in 
1880, no fewer than 10,056 were for drunkenness. As regards 
the birth-place of the offenders, it appears that 7359 criminals 
were Irish, 6188 English or Welsh, persons born in Victoria 
5688, and Scotch 2008. 
A very painful facft is that the phylloxera succeeded in 
establishing itself in the Geelong district as far back as 1875, 
and though it has not spread into any other part of Australia, all 
the measures tried for its extirpation have proved fruitless. 
It appears that the inhabitants of Australia consume a larger 
proportion of animal food than the population of the home 
kingdoms. This circumstance, as may be judged from the 
death-rate, does not appear to have an injurious effecft on their 
health or longevity, — a fac 5 t which dietetic reformers would do 
well to consider. 
