66o
INDIA.
population is of more value, females especially are valued by the hill tribes, and among them marriage is at a later and more healthy time of life.'
It was found at all the enumerations yet taken in India, that there exists a high proportion of children to adults. Thus, while the per- centage of children under 12 years of age was 29 in England and 36 in the counties at the last census, it was in many parts of India as high as 55. Various reasons are adduced to account for such a remarkable result, among which may be mentioned the custom of polygamy, the main cause of which is reported to be ' the desire to have male issue, which induces Hindoos to marry as many wives as they can afford to keep until a son is born.'
The three largest towns in India are Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay. Enumerations of the population of Calcutta were made in January 1866, of Madras in January 1863, and of Bombay in February 1864, the results of all of which are shown in the follow- ing tables. The first gives the number of inhabitants of the three towns, distinguishing males, females, and children : —
Towns
Males
Females
Children
Total
Calcutta
Madras ....
Bombay
Total .
19S,077
134,302
. 436,305
115,311 165,307 207,285
64,536 128,162 172,972
377,924 427,771 816,562
768,684
487,903
365,670
1,622,257
l
The origin, caste, or religion of the inhabitants of Calcutta is specified in the subjoined statement : —
Origin, caste, or religion
Males
Females
Children
Total
Europeans
6,820
2,545
1,859
11,224
Indo-Europeans
4,082
4,218
2.736
11,036
Armenians
291
238
174
703
Jews ....
240
228
213
681
Greeks ....
17
7
6
30
Africans
39
9
5
53
Asiatics
786
412
243
1,441
Chinese ....
378
—
31
409
Parsees ....
73
15
10
98
Hindoos
119,539
78,901
40,750
239,190
Mussulmans . Total .
65,812
28,738
18,509
113,059
198,077
115,311
64,536
377,924
The following table gives the same particulars about the inhabit- ants of Madras : —
