Analyses of Books . 
(May, 
298 
Victorian Year-Book for 1881-2. By H. Heylyn Hayter. 
Melbourne: J. Ferres and G. Robertson. London: G. 
Robertson. 
We have here an extensive collection of information, statistical, 
historical, and topographical, most of which, however, will have 
but little attraction for our readers. 
In the remarks on the population of the colony it may perhaps 
be noted, as a satisfactory feature, that whilst the British sub- 
jects have increased by 1978 per cent the proportion of aliens 
has been reduced by 17*42 per cent, during the ten years from 
1871 to 1881. The number of Chinese, who nowhere seem to 
amalgamate with an Aryan people, has fallen by 33*93, or more 
than one-third. The colony maybe congratulated on the absence 
of any appreciable negro or negroid element, which, wherever 
existing, appears to be a source of danger. 
The religious census of 1881 disclosed the existence of 15 1 
distinCt denominations. Amongst these we find one Positivist, 
one Iconoclast (!), and three worthies who state their creed to be 
£. s. d., and whose sincerity at least will not be called in ques- 
tion. The excess of births over deaths in the entire group of 
Australian colonies is remarkably high, ranging from 228 per cent 
in New Zealand to 87 in Tasmania, numbers which appear the 
more striking when it is added that the excess in Europe varies 
from 59 per cent in Scotland to 8 per cent in France. The ave- 
rage death-rate varies from 12*38 per 1000 in New Zealand to 
17-86 in Queensland, that of England and Wales being 21-7. 
The mortality from phthisis is relatively much lower than in 
England, but appears to be increasing, which is a very sore 
subject in Melbourne. 
Snake-bites are recorded as having occasioned five deaths in 
Victoria in the year 1881, — a faCt which shows that there is room 
for the services of the mungus and the secretary-hawk. 
The criminal statistics present certain remarkable features : 
thus whilst only 12 per 1000 of native Victorians, and 29 per 
1000 natives of the other Australian colonies, of persons born in 
England and Wales 43 were arrested, of Scotchmen 44, Irish- 
men 86, but of Chinese only 20 per 1000. 
