1885.] 
L 
orrespondence. 
4 97 
results, and we had much rather dispense with it. To take 
pleasure in animal pain and death we leave to the sportsman. 
It is interesting to note the words “ no end, even of curiosity.” 
1 he love of truth was formerly regarded as one of the highest 
motives by which a man could be actuated. Now it is con- 
temptuously termed “ curiosity.” 
Graduate. 
SEX. 
In most countries the sexes are balanced by killing she-children 
and as there are prejudices against this in England we ought to 
do our best in other ways. Yet the cause of sex is the most ob- 
scure and neglected domain of ignorance and chance ' 
Captain Burton says that in Para, Brazil, there are five she- 
children to one he ; but he gives no reason. There seems to be 
a tendency for sex to follow the senior parent. It has been sug- 
gested that male sex depends on nutrition ; but the rich have no 
more boys than the poor, and Earl Spencer’s observations on 
cattle, though valuable, are very imperfedl. Is not the best field 
for observation to be found in eggs ? Is the sex decided ere the 
egg is laid ? I believe it is, and that poultry fanciers choose 
short eggs to produce hens. If not, it would be interesting to 
know whether sex is affedted (or effected) by greater warmth 
about the centre of the nest and by less warmth at the outer 
part. Could incubators be made to produce cocks or hens ac- 
cording to warmth ? If not, perhaps the inquiry might be limited 
to the time before laying, and perhaps it might be pushed back 
to the spermatozoa. Some observant poultry fancier mieht °dve 
us light. & & 
T , OD Hugh Browne. 
July 13, 1885. 
THE SHORTCOMINGS OF THE METRIC 
SYSTEM. 
It is often left out of sight that the metric system, as at present 
used in many countries and advocated by lovers of Internation- 
alism, contains and involves very much more and other than the 
principle of decimal divisions. 
It is this “ more and other” which makes the people of England 
hesitate at its adoption. It has been pointed out some years & ago 
in your Journal, that whilst in our English system the names of 
