the females under the same age to 9593, or as 112.3 to 100. From the
census of 1872, the proportion of males of all ages (including
half-castes) to females, is as 125.36 to 100. It must be borne in mind
that all these returns for the Sandwich Islands give the proportion of
living males to living females, and not of the births; and judging from
all civilised countries the proportion of males would have been
considerably higher if the numbers had referred to births. (99. Dr.
Coulter, in describing ( Journal R. Geograph. Soc. vol. v. 1835, p.
67) the state of California about the year 1830, says that the natives,
reclaimed by the Spanish missionaries, have nearly all perished, or are
perishing, although well treated, not driven from their native land,
and kept from the use of spirits. He attributes this, in great part, to
the undoubted fact that the men greatly exceed the women in number; but
he does not know whether this is due to a failure of female offspring,
or to more females dying during early youth. The latter alternative,
according to all analogy, is very improbable. He adds that
infanticide, properly so called, is not common, though very frequent
recourse is had to abortion. If Dr. Coulter is correct about
infanticide, this case cannot be advanced in support of Colonel
Marshall s view. From the rapid decrease of the reclaimed natives, we
may suspect that, as in the cases lately given, their fertility has
been diminished from changed habits of life.
I had hoped to gain some light on this subject from the breeding of
dogs; inasmuch as in most breeds, with the exception, perhaps, of
greyhounds, many more female puppies are destroyed than males, just as
with the Toda infants. Mr. Cupples assures me that this is usual with
Scotch deer-hounds. Unfortunately, I know nothing of the proportion of
the sexes in any breed, excepting greyhounds, and there the male births
are to the females as 110.1 to 100. Now from enquiries made from many
breeders, it seems that the females are in some respects more esteemed,
though otherwise troublesome; and it does not appear that the female
puppies of the best-bred dogs are systematically destroyed more than
the males, though this does sometimes take place to a limited extent.
Therefore I am unable to decide whether we can, on the above
principles, account for the preponderance of male births in greyhounds.
On the other hand, we have seen that with horses, cattle, and sheep,
which are too valuable for the young of either sex to be destroyed, if
there is any difference, the females are slightly in excess.)
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