The excess of births over the deaths in 1886 was 2,725, -the largest number that has occurred in Boston (with the exception of 1874, '77, and '79) in any year during the last thirty-eight years. The excess of births over the deaths in each ward (exclusive of those occurring in the public institutions) is shown in the following table:

The deaths in Ward 10 exceeded the births there by 41. There were the same number of deaths in Ward 17 as there were births.

The daily average number of living births was 32.85. Including the still-births the daily average would be 34.37.

MARRIAGES IN 1886.

The number of marriages registered in 1886 was 5,009, being an increase of 292 over the number recorded in the preceding year. The ratio of marriages to the population was 1 to 39.55. In the preceding year the ratio was 1 to 41.38.

There were 5,130 intentions of marriage recorded (an increase of 364), or 121 more than the number of marriages that were recorded.

The number of marriage licenses issued each month, and the number of marriages registered during the same periods, are shown in the following table:

The marriages solemnized in June, October, and November make 32.12 per cent of the whole number. The daily average number of marriages in November was 20.66; in October, 18.13; in June, 17.60. The daily average for the whole year was 13.69.

BIRTHPLACES OF GROOMS.

England and Wales

Scotland

British America.

Germany and North'n Europe. 65

Other foreign countries

Totals

Per cent.

United States.

TABLE II. MARRIAGES IN 1886.

BIRTHPLACES OF BRIDES.

Of the whole number of native grooms only 2,125 (42.42 per cent.) married native brides, thus showing that in the remaining 57.58 per cent. of the marriages one or both parties in each marriage were foreign-born. The number of instances in which both the groom and the bride were

100.00

Per cent.

4th Quarter.

Intentions.

Marriages.

Totals

natives of Ireland was 647, making 22.43 per cent. of all the marriages where one or both parties were foreign-born. It will also be seen by the foregoing table, that 11.98 per cent. of the grooms and 16.85 per cent. of the brides were born in British America.

Per cent..

There was an increase of 26 in the number of minor grooms, and an increase of two in the number of minor brides, there being 95 of the former, and 78 of the latter. The above table shows that 27.17 per cent. of the grooms were between 21 and 25 years of age, and 36.11 per cent. between 25 and 30. Of the brides, 81.25 per cent. were between 18 and 30 years, and 53.72 per cent. were between 18 and 25.

There were 28 grooms who had passed their sixtieth year. One of these married a bride of 22; another a bride of 29; and still another married a bride of 27. There was one groom of the mature age of 79 years, who chose a bride of 29 years, just half a century his junior.

Of the whole number of minor grooms 62 were 20 years of age; 28 were 19; 3 were 18; and 1 was 17. Of the minor brides, 58 were 17 years of age; 14 were 16 years of age; and 6 were only 15 years of age.

100.00

Per cent.

The above table shows that 85.53 per cent. of the grooms and 90.40 per cent. of the brides were married for the first time. Of the 37 grooms who had been widowed twice, 28 married spinsters, 8 married widows, and 1 married a bride who had been widowed twice. Another groom, who had survived three wives, chose as his fourth a spinster; and another, of the same experience, selected a widow. Eight grooms, who assumed the marital relation for the first time, were united to brides who had stood at the hymeneal altar twice previously.

MARRIAGES OF PEOPLE Of Color.

There was a considerable increase in the number of marriages of this people over the number registered in the preceding year. Of the whole number (148), in 116 instances both parties were black. In 32 cases the grooms were

black and the brides white. Of the first-named class there was an increase of 21; of the second, the increase was 13. The ratio of marriages of colored people to the colored population was 1 in 20.47. The ratio of marriages of whites to the white population was 1 in 40.15.

In 685 instances the grooms married brides older than themselves. This was the precise number of marriages of the same character that occurred in the preceding year.

THE MORTALITY OF 1886.

There was a considerable decrease in the mortality in 1886 compared with that of the preceding year. The number of deaths was 9,265; in 1885 the number was 9,622. Estimating the population in 1886 at 396,300, it will be

seen that there was one death to each 42.78 of that number. Excluding the deaths from violent causes of all descriptions, the death-rate from disease alone will be 1 in 22.54, much below the general average for many years past.

DEATHS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR.

a rate

The vital statistics concerning the colored race are always both curious and interesting, when compared with those relating to the whites. During the past year there were 247 colored decedents, making the death-rate of this class to have been 40.77 in each 1,000 of the colored population, which was, according to the census of 1885, 6,058; or there was one death in each 24.52 of the colored population. On the other hand, the death-rate of the whites was 23.10, or there was one death in 43.21 of the white population. Almost every year the deaths of colored persons exceed the colored births; in 1886 the excess was 38. The following comparative statement exhibits the contrast between the births, marriages, and deaths of the two races:

The number of male decedents over 20 years of age was 2,597. Of these 1,521 were married at the time of their deaths, and 338 were widowers, making 71.58 per cent. of all the male decedents over that age. The number of female decedents over the same age was 2,783; of these 12.63 were married, and 927 were widows, the whole making 78.69 per cent. of all the females who were over 20 years of age at the time of their death.

The following table exhibits the total number of decedents over 20 years of age, according to their respective nativities, with the ratio of those who had been married to the whole number of the same: