120 
ORDER BIMANA.— GENUS HOMO. 
would consider them as amounting to a thousand millions, others, with 
greater probability, estimate their number as low as six hundred millions. 
This principally arises from our ignorance regarding the amount of the 
population in the great empires of Asia, the innumerable states ol the inte- 
rior of Africa, the vast territories of America, and in New Holland. M. 
Malte-Briin makes the following approximations, which are probably 
very far from the truth — 
Europe 170 millions. 
Asia, —.320 to 340. 
Africa, 70 
America, 45 to 46. 
South Sea Islands 20 
Total, 625 to 646 millions. 
Tile population of China by some accounts is said to amount to 333 
millions, while others make it as low as 19| millions. 
In respect to the proportion which the number of the one sex bears 
to that of the other, our information is more precise. More males than 
females are always born in the civilized countries of Europe ; yet the 
number of females exceeds that of the males. In England and Wales, 
and in Sweden and Finland, the male births are to the female as 100 to 
96 ; in France as 100 to 95. The ratio of 25 ; 24 is approached very 
nearly in all other places where observations have hitherto been made. 
Thus, at Petersburg, 100 mtde infants appear to 95 females; at Pans, 
100 males'to 96 females. By one enumeration made in France, during the 
ministry of M. Chaptal, the returns were 100 males to 95 females ; and 
once for Paris they were 100 males to 97 females. Sussmilch assures 
us, that 100 males are born for 93 females in North America. In New 
Spain, according to Humboldt, 100 males to 97 females. 
This law of Nature will be more satisfactorily illustrated by the follow- 
ing Table, showing 
THE raOPOBTION OP THE SEXES AT BIRTH, 
In 
During the 
Preceding 
Malcts. 
Females. 
Authorities. 
Ensiland and Wales, 
29 years 
1800 
3,285,188 
3,1.50,922 
Population Aostracts. 
Sweden and Finland, 
20 . 
1795 
1,006,420 
965.000 
Wargentin. 
France, .... 
3 . 
1802 
1 10.312 
105,287 
La Place. 
Scotland, .... 
29 . 
1800 
67,353 
62,636 
Population Abstracts. 
Carlisle, .... 
18 . 
1796 
2,400 
2.271 
Heysliarn 
Montpellier, 
21 . 
1792 
12,919 
12,145 
Moiirgue. 
Stockholm, 
9 . 
1763 
12,015 
11,706 
Wargentin. 
The mortality among male infants is, however, greater than that of fe- 
males ; hence it results that their numbers become equal about the 15th 
year. Men are always exposed to greater dangers than women, owing 
to various circumstances peculiar to their sex, such as their removal to 
the colonies, military and naval service, unhealthy arts and dangerous 
trades, accidents, and the temptations to excesses of all kinds. The wo- 
men, even in our climates, are therefore always more numerous than the 
men. From the observations of Kersseboom, Deparcieux, and others, 
it further appears, that women live longer than men in the ratio of 18 
to 17, when once they have passed the more critical tiges. More boys 
die than girls, and more men than women, nearly in the ratio of 10 to 
9, at Paris, London, and elsewhere. In 1778, the female population of 
France exceeded the male by one-sixteenth part; in 1763, Wargentin 
remarked one-fifteenth in Sweden. In Venice, during the year 1811, 
there were 10 women to 9 men ; and, by more recent observations, 9 
women to 8 men in Paris. 
In warm countries, notwithstanding the misrepresentations of prejudice, 
we find the number of females very considerably greater than that of men. 
Kempfer relates that at Meaco, a large city of Japan, there are 6 women 
to every 5 men, and the same proportion was noticed at Quito by Ulloa. 
M. Labillardiere found nearly 11 women to 10 men in the south of New 
Holland. Among the Guaranis, in America, there are about 14 women 
to 13 men, according to Azara. Major Pike found a much greater pro- 
portion of women in several of the savage tribes of New Mexico; there 
being in some of them 7 women to 6 men, or even 3 women to 2 men ; 
and among the Sioux, the surprising proportion of 2 women to 1 man. 
In the large towns of Mexico, according to Humboldt, there are 5 women 
to 4 men. 
This numerical excess of women is more especially remarkable on the 
Coast of Guinea, and in the different Islands of the East Indies, such as 
Java ; likewise on the Malabar Coast, in Bengal, and at Bantam. It 
may arise partly from the traffic of Negroes, which exists in Africa, and 
partly from the commerce and navigation of the East removing a large 
portion of the male population. It is still, however, very probable that 
their number is considerably greater, as the accounts of nearly all tra- 
vellers agree, .although their statements are not in general founded upon 
any precise enumeration. It is asserted that there are at Cairo 7 women 
to 6 men, 6 to 5 in the E.ast Indies, 5 to 4, or even 4 to 3, in the differ- 
ent regions of Southern Asia. 
According to the estimates of some eminent Statisticians, in a district of 
country where 10,000 infants are born annually, we must expect to find 
295,022 inhabitants of both sexes. Of these 93,003 are children below 
the age of 15, and 202,019 above that age. Of the latter individuals, in 
the most civilized country of Europe, there will not be more than 23,250 
marriages, the aver.age duration of winch may be estimated at 21 years, 
5812 widows, and 4359 widowers. 
The number of births always exceeds that of deaths among the most 
civilized nations, but the proportion varies according to local circum- 
stances. 
OLD AGE AND DEATH. 
Scarcely has the body attained its full height, than it begins 
to increase in thickness, and the fat accumulates in its cellular 
tissue. The different vessels gradually become obstructed ; the 
solids grow rigid ; and, after a life of greater or less duration, more 
or less agitated, more or less painful, old age follows, bringing in 
its train decay, decrepitude, and death. Those who live beyond 
one hundred years are rare exceptions 5 by far the greater number 
perish before that term, by disease, by accidents, or merely by old 
age itself. 
Tile systematic order in which the human race are snatched away by 
death, is one of the most remarkable piienomena of Nature. Nothing 
appears, at first sight, to be more uncertain than the life ol a single indi- 
vidual, because the estimate is derived from a limited experience of the 
mortality among a few private acquaintances. Yet the Tables of obser- 
vation obtained by recording the numbers of individuals who die at every 
period of life from infancy to extreme old age, indicate that a remarkable 
regularity actually exists. Once in possession of a knowledge of tlie law 
of mortality prevalent in a given country, or among a given class of indi- 
viduals, we are not only able to form general estimations, but to calculate 
the nicest shades of risk or adventure. 
All tables of observation exliibit the precarious life of the infant m n 
striking point of view. Tile expectation of human life increases gradu- 
ally until the ages of six, seven, or eiglit, which may therefore be con- 
sidered as the safest period of life, while it diminishes to the roost advance 
ages. 
The fbllowing Table exliibits the mortality experienced among ilie 
habitants of our crowded metropolis. 
THE JIOUTALITY IN LONDON, 
OBSERVED AMONG 190,565 INHABITANTS, FROM 1811 TO 1820. 
Ages. 
No. Living. 
Deaths. 
Ages. 
No. Living. 
Deaths. 
Ages 
. 
No. Living. 
Deatlis. 
From 0 to 
2 
190,565 
52,970 
From GO to 70 
35,589 
15,888 
From 103 
to 104 
13 
4 
2 
5 
1 37,595 
18,772 
70 
80 
19,701 
12,247 
104 
105 
9 
1 
10 
118,823 
7,848 
80 
90 
7,454 
6,210 
105 
108 
8 
2 
10 
20 ' 
110,975 
6,363 
90 
100 
1,244 
1,205 
108 
109 
6 
2 
20 
30 
104,612 
1.3,600 
100 
lot 
39 
16 
109 
111 
4 
2 
30 
40 
91.012 
17,916 
101 
102 
23 
5 
HI 
113 
2 
1 
40 
50 
73.096 
19,668 
102 
103 
18 
5 
113 
114 
1 
1 
50 
60 
53,428 
17,839 
