The above table exhibits several very interesting facts. It will be observed that those children whose parents were both American-born, (including half of those of unknown parentage,) make only 25.43 per cent. of the whole number born. On the other hand, those whose parents were both foreign-born make 57.84 per cent. In the preceding year, the first-named class made 26, and the last 59 per cent. The number of instances in which one or both parents were foreign-born was 6,270-73.29 per cent. of the whole number.

The census states the Irish-born population to be 56,900. The number of children born, whose parents were both Irish, was 3,061, making the ratio to be one birth to 18.59 of the Irish population; while those of native parentage is in the ratio of 1 to 73.30. The fecundity of the Irish population may be seen in a still clearer light by the statement, that while the Irish-born make only 22.71 per cent. of the whole population, the births of children of Irish parentage make 35.78 per cent. of all the births. The children of native parentage offer a strong contrast to the foregoing. While the native population makes nearly 65 per cent. of the whole, the births of children of that parentage make only 25 per cent. of the whole number born. Again, the actual foreign population, by the census of 1870, was 87,986. The number of children born whose parents (one or both) were foreign-born was 6,322, or 1 to 13.92 of the entire foreign-born population.

The following table will show the above facts in a very clear light :

The contrast between the productiveness of the Irish and German populations, and the others, exhibited in the above table, is a very strong one, and deserves much consideration. It will be noticed, that even the English population, which is considered prolific at home, seems to lose that characteristic here. The Scotch presents a worse record than the English, but neither of them approaches the bad pre-eminence of the native population. If the whole number of children who had native fathers (including half of the "unknown") are enumerated, the ratio would be only 1 birth to 57.47 of the native population, an exhibit the reverse of flattering. The births in each quarter are seen in the following table :

The largest number of births in any one month was in July, 806, and the least in April, 577.

The births in July, August, October, and December, made 36.50 per cent. of all the births.

The number and percentage of the births in the several wards, compared with the record of the preceding year, are seen in the following:

It will be observed, that there was a decrease of 186 births in wards 3, 4, 5, 9, and 14, and a gain of 9 in ward 2. There was also a gain of 180 in ward 12; 92 in ward 15; 87 in ward 16; 77 in ward 8; and 74 in ward 7. No less than 54.59 per cent. of the births occurred in wards 1, 2, 7, 12, and 15, which wards contain only 45.52 per cent. of the whole population; while in the other eleven wards, containing 54:48 per cent. of the population, there occurred only 45.41 per cent. of the births. In other words, there were nearly 9 per cent. more births in the five first-named wards than in the other eleven.

The ratio of births to the population of each ward is seen in the following table:

It will be seen that the lowest ratio is in ward 5, which offers a very marked contrast to the condition which existed there two or three years ago. Within this period a large number of the foreign-born population have removed from that locality, in consequence of the levelling of Fort Hill, and other improvements made there. Prior to that period (in 1868) the ratio of births in that ward to the population then residing there was about 1 in 29. In 1871, in consequence of the changes referred to, the ratio was 1 in 52.86. It should not be forgotten, that these changes were almost exclusively confined to the foreign-born population. The above table also exhibits a low birth-rate in wards 4, 6, 9, and 11, where the native-born element predominates. Ward 12, which has a large native population, presents a strong contrast to the preceding statement, the birth-rate there being exceeded only in wards 7, 13, and 15.

The number of colored children born was 96-49 males, and 47 females-making 1.12 per cent. of all the births, These births are in the ratio of 1 to 36.30 of the colored population. In the preceding year, the ratio was 1 in 30.13.

There was an increase of ten in the number of twin births, compared with the preceding year. The proportion of twin to single births was 1 to 115. In the preceding year, the proportion was 1 to 126.

The twin children of Irish parentage make 40.54 per cent. of the whole number.

There was one case of triplets, and a birth of a child of Indian parentage.

It will be seen that the male stillbirths exceed the female by no less than 118. Those of foreign parentage make 66.48 per cent. of the whole number. Those of Irish parentage make 39.59 per cent.

There were twelve stillborn or one to 8 of those born alive. was one to 16.

children of colored parents, Among the whites, the ratio

MARRIAGES.

The number of marriages recorded during the year was 3,714, an increase of 222 compared with the preceding year, or an increase of 6.36 per cent. during that period.

The number and percentage of the marriages in each month will be seen in the following table:

No less than 23.32 per cent. of the marriages occurred in the months of October and November. The marriages in March (the season of Lent) made only 4.23 per cent. of the whole number. The average number of marriages on each day of the year was 9.83.