AVERAGE AGE.

It will be borne in mind, that the circumstance of average individual longevity, in any town or division of the State, is not dependent on the relative healthfulness of the location. The surroundings must be necessarily salubrious to promote length of life; but the character of the habitations, the home methods of living, dietetic and otherwise, the public habits and customs, the average intelligence, industry and morality of the populace, are potent factors of the length or brevity of life.

Then the circumstance of slow increase of population, owing to the departure, at an early age, of a large proportion of the population to engage in the active occupations of life in other localities, and leaving but a meagre percentage of young adults to establish families, in the child-bearing period of life, and the necessary corollary of a diminished percentage of births, of which about 35 in each 100 would be expected to have ceased to exist at the expiration of the fifth year, thus lowering the average age in towns having a high birth rate, and raising it in towns having a low birth rate.

It will, therefore, be understood that to obtain a fairly approximate knowledge of the relative healthfulness of the towns, and consequent relative longevity of the inhabitants of each, the various circumstances alluded to above must be taken into consideration.

Upon consultation of Table XV., it will be seen that the maximum average age of all the decedents during the last ten years, was in the town of Charlestown; that is, 54.33 years. The minimum average age of the whole number of decedents, for the same period, was in the town of Lincoln; that is, 22.14 years.

It will be noticed that the birth rate in Charlestown is but little more than half that of Lincoln, and a reasonable inference would be that the higher average age at death in Charlestown was owing, in great part at least, to the absence of a large proportional number of that class which is peculiarly subject to fatal diseases at an early age.

Following Charlestown, in presenting an advanced average age at the time of decease, are: Little Compton, 53.69 years; Foster, 53.14 years; Jamestown, 51.62 years; Exeter, 51.58 years.

Of the minimum average age, next to Lincoln, are: Woonsocket, 24.49 years; Providence city, 27.76 years; East Providence, 28.26 years; Pawtucket, 29.81 years.

The following summary will show the average age of decedents in the different counties and in the whole State:

Showing the proportions of Births, Marriages and Deaths, to the population, in the aggregate for the whole State, in

It will be seen by the above Table, that the number of births recorded in the State during the year 1879, was less by 364 than during the preceding year, and more by 115 than in 1877.

The difference between the numbers reported in 1878 and 1879 is not greater than has occurred frequently before, and considerable fluctuation may be considered the rule.

The proportion of births to population, in the whole State, according to the Census of 1880, is one to every 42, or 2.4 per cent. The proportion of one birth in every 38.5 as given in the Report for 1878, was based upon the State Census of 1875, and, as then stated, was larger than the actual population at the time would warrant.

There is a small increase in the number of marriages as compared with the returns for 1878, but it falls considerably short of the numbers reported in each of several years previous to 1876. In 1873 the proportion of persons married, to the population, was one in every 41.3; in 1879, one in every 57.8; a difference of 0.69 per cent. It is probable the year 1880 will show a more largely increased proportion over that of 1879, than that for several previous years.

The advent and continuance of more lively industrial activities, larger demand and better compensation for labor, will, independent of increased population, doubtless contribute to swell the proportional number in the years immediately forthcoming.

The proportion of one person married, in 1879, to every 57.8 of the population of the State, by the Census of 1880, is smaller than that of any other of the preceding 20 years, and doubtless of any other year since the commencement of registration, if not of the whole period of the existence of the State.

The number of deaths reported in 1879 is also slightly larger than in 1878, and also larger than in any previous year. The proportion, however, to the population, calculated by the Census of 1880, is less than for the preceding two years, but on the same basis of population, the percentage would scarcely differ.

The proportion is one decedent in each 61.9 of the population, or 1.62 per cent.

There will be found on pages 2 to 6, inclusive, in Tables I., II. and III., the general statistics in relation to births in Rhode Island, during the year 1879.

The whole number reported is 6,350, which is 364 less than in 1878, and 115 more than in 1877.

SEX OF THE CHILDREN BORN.

Of the 6,350 children whose births were reported in 1879, there were 3,259 males and 3,091 females. This gives 105.4 males to each 100 females, or 51.32 males and 48.68 females in each 100 children. The following recapitulatory Table shows the numbers and sex, and the proportions of each sex of the children born in Rhode Island, in each of the last twenty-six years:

51.87 and 48.13 in each 100. 51.22 and 48 78 in each 100. .51.25 and 48.75 in each 100.

.51.36 and 48.64 in each 100. 51.73 and 48 27 in each 100. 51.30 and 48.70 in each 100. 50.57 and 49.43 in each 100. 52.49 and 47.51 in each 100. 52.25 and 47.75 in each 100. 51.41 and 48.59 in each 100. 50.09 and 49.91 in each 100. 53.02 and 46 98 in each 100. 51.94 and 48.06 in each 100. 51.87 and 48.13 in each 100. .51.10 and 48.90 in each 100. 51.19 and 48.81 in each 100. .51.37 and 48.63 in each 100. 50.69 and 49.31 in each 100. 50.22 and 49.78 in each 100. 52.06 and 47.94 in each 100. 51.21 and 48.79 in each 100. .51.66 and 48.34 in each 100. 52.00 and 48.00 in each 100. .50.73 and 49.27 in each 100. 50.67 and 49 33 in each 100. 51.32 and 48.68 in each 100.

The number of male births in 1879 was 143 less than in 1878, the number of female births, 121 less. The whole number of births reported in 1878 was largely in excess of any previous year, but it must be admitted that with the ordinary increase of population, the number of births reported in 1879 is less than might reasonably be expected.

PROPORTION OF THE SEXES.

In Table II., on the fourth page, will be found the number of births in 1879, reported from the different divisions of the State, with the number of each sex respectively.

A wide difference in the proportion of the sexes is found one year with another, not only between the different divisions, but also in the same division.

The following Table will present the number and proportion in each division in 1879:

Taking a large population there will, in every year, be a larger proportion of male children born than of females. But in smaller populations, the proportions will curiously vary.

By the above Table it will be seen that, while in Bristol county the proportion was 124.3 males to each 100 females; in Kent county it was reversed, and stands only 95.5 males to each 100 females.

By reference to Table XIX., it will be seen that Bristol county has reported a large excess of male births for 15 out of 17 years registration, running up in 1876 to 142.1 males to each 100 females.

In Kent county, the difference has not been so marked, but the excess was largest of male children in 1878; that is, 120.6 males to each 100 females.

In Newport city, the proportions are nearly equal, while in the towns of Newport county the males predominate, 113.6 males to each