BOY BABY RECORD.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLII, Issue 63, 11 February 1916, Page 3

BOY BABY RECORD.

Birth statistics in recent months in the 36 great towns in England and Wales show an increasing excess in the number of male children born and support the popuular idea that during wars the proportion of boy babies to girl babies increases above the normal average. In the first quarter of last year, according to the. Registrar-General's return jU6fc published, 1032 males were born to 1000 females. In the second quarter, the ninth, 10th and 11th months of war, the boys born were 1043 to 1000 girls. ]n the third quarterthat, is, the quarter ended September 30—the number of hoy births was lOo'o to 1000 girls. The ratio is surprisingly high and beats all records. The highest .proportion of male to female births since accurate statistics have been kept was 1054 to 1000 in 1544. The average ratio for the second and third quarters in 1912-14 was 1037 boys to 1000 girls. The marriage rate in England and Wales during the quarter ended September 30 was 21.8 persons married for every 1000 of the population, the highest rate yet recorded since the establishment of civil registration. The former record was 21.8 per 1000 in the last quarter of 1565-