ority on the mother's side gives excess of female
offspring. This tallies with the fact that in all civilized countries,
as has been stated, the proportion of male births is greater than that
of females; for, in accordance with the customs of society, the husband
is generally older than the wife. A curious instance, in confirmation
of this law, has recently come under our observation. A patient, married
for the second time, is ten years older than her husband. She has two
children by him, both girls. Singular to relate, her former husband was
ten years older than herself, and by him she had four children, of whom
three were boys, the fourth (a girl) having a twin brother.

Still, the relative age is not the sole cause which fixes the sex of the
child. Its operation is sometimes overruled by conflicting agencies. In
some districts of Norway, for example, there has been a constant
deficiency in boys, while in others the reverse has been the case. The
circumstance is well known, that after great wars, and sometimes
epidemics, in which a disproportionate number of men have died, more
boys are born than usual. Men who pass a sedentary life, and especially
scholars who exhaust their nervous force to a great extent, beget more
girls than boys. So, also, a very advanced age on the man's side
diminishes the number of males among the offspring. The quantity and the
quality of the food; the elevation of the abode; the conditions of
temperature; the parents' mode of life, rank, religious belief,
frequency of sexual intercourse,--have all been shown to be causes
contributing to the disproportion of the sexes, besides the relative
ages of the parents.

Some writers have stated that a southerly or warm and humid constitution
of the year is most favorable to the birth of female infants, while in
cold and dry years most males are produced. This statement has not been
supported by trustworthy statistics in regard to the human race, but in
respect of domestic animals the agriculturists of France have long
observed that the season has much to do with the sex. When the weather
is dry and cold, and the wind northerly, mares, ewes, and heifers
produce more males than when the opposite meteorological condition
prevails.

The saying among nurses, that 'This is the year for sons or daughters,'
is based upon the erroneous supposition that mothers bring forth more
male infants in one year than in another.

That, however, which concerns us the