=Vital Statistics.=--Statisticians are bringing out some curious facts with regard to the birth and death-rates of the leading nations of the world. Unfortunately, our tables are not as accurate as those collected in the European States. Abroad there is a careful record of marriages, births, and deaths. These are collected by us without any thoroughness, save only when a census is being taken. In England and Wales it has been found that the birth-rate is 35.4 and the death-rate is 20.5 per 1,000 persons. In Sweden the birth-rate is 30.2, against a death-rate of 18.1. In the German Empire, birth-rate 39.3 and death-rate 26.1. Austria, 39.1 birth-rate, 29.6 death-rate. The official returns state that our annual birth-rate is 36 and death-rate 18, but clearly our birth-rate is much larger, as we are growing in numbers faster than any people on earth. Our increase is fully 10,000,000 since the last census was taken in 1880. Our colored population have a higher birth-rate than have the Southern whites. Among the latter it is 28.71, while for the colored it is 35.08. Although the death-rate of the blacks is quite large, still they are increasing relatively faster than the white. It is also a curious fact that more colored females are born than whites, but taking blacks and whites together the births of the males exceed those of the females. The report of the California State Board of Health for the month of April, 1889, contains the following: Reports from 75 different localities, with an estimated population of 701,950, give a mortality of 835, which is a percentage of 1.18 per 1,000 in the month, or an annual mortality of 14.16, which is the lowest annual percentage at which we have yet arrived, indicating a remarkably good condition of the public health throughout the State. =Voice.=--A question in connection with the training of the voice is to be discussed, viz., when it should be commenced. With regard to the question, says a distinguished scientist, "I am strongly of opinion that training can hardly be begun too early. Of course, the kind and amount of practice that are necessary in the adult would be monstrous in a young child, but there is no reason why, even at the age of six or seven, the right method of voice production should not be taught. Singing, like every other art, is chiefly learned by imitation, and it seems a pity to lose the advantage of those precious early years when that faculty is most highly developed. There is no fear of injuring the larynx or straining the voice by elementary instruction of this kind; on the contrary, it is habitual faulty vocalization which is pernicious."