RECORD: Darwin, C. R. n.d. Abstract of Babbage, On the proportionate number of births of the two sexes under different circumstances. CUL-DAR85.B107. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2022. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR80-86 contain material for Darwin's book Descent of man (1871).
Darwin cited this in Descent 2: 301-2.
Charles Babbage. 1829. A letter to the Right Hon. T. P. Courtnenay, on the proportionate number of births of the two sexes under different circumstances. Edinburgh Journal of Science 1, new series: 85-104.
See summary in CUL-DAR85.104.
[B107]
Edinburgh Journal of Science 1829 vol. I. p. 88 - Babbage shows that in Naples, Prussia, Westphalia as in France the excess of male birth over female children is less when illegitimate than when legitimate - Illegitimacy is unfavourable to the male sex! - Shows not climate, but some slight unknown cause may affect sexes - Again (p. 91) in Prussia with Jews for every 10,000 ♀ there are 11,292 males - whilst general average in Prussia gives for 10,000 ♀ 10,609 males.
p. 90 of still born children for every 10,000 ♀, there are 13,689 ♂s: this supports Swedish return about death of male children being greater.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 10 October, 2022