by a still longer lower extremity; while the typical female form approaches the infantile condition in having a relatively longer trunk, shorter arms, legs, hands, and feet; relatively to short upper arms still shorter forearms, and relatively to short thighs still shorter lower legs, and relatively to the whole short upper extremity[39] a still shorter lower extremity—­a very striking evidence of the ineptitude of woman for the expenditure of physiological energy through motor action.[40]

The strength of woman, on the other hand, her capacity for motion, and her muscular mechanical aptitude are far inferior to that of man.  Tests of strength made on 2,300 students of Yale University[41] and on 1,600 women of Oberlin College[42] show the mean relation of the strength of the sexes, expressed in kilograms: 

Back            Legs         Right Forearm
Men              153.0           186.0             56.0
Women             54.0            76.5             21.4

The average weight of the men was 63.1 kilograms, and of the women 51 kilograms; and, making deduction for this, the strength of the men is still not less than twice as great as that of the women.  The anthropometric committee reported to the British Association in 1883 that women are little more than half as strong as men.

The first field day of the Vassar College Athletic Association was held November 9, 1895, and a comparison of the records of some of the events with those of similar events at Yale University in the corresponding year gives us a basis of comparison:[43]

Yale                  Vassar
100-yard dash                  10-2/5 sec.           151/4 sec. 
Running broad jump             23 ft.                11 ft. 5 in. 
Running high jump              5 ft. 9 in.           4 ft.
220-yard dash                  22-3/5 sec.           361/4 sec.

Miss Thompson, whose results were obtained in a psychological laboratory, concludes that in reactions where strength is involved men are clearly superior to women, and this is the only respect in which she finds a marked difference: 

Motor ability in most of its forms is better in men than in women.  In strength, rapidity of movement, and rate of fatigue they have a very decided advantage.  These three forms of superiority are probably all expressions of one and the same fact—­the greater muscular strength of men.  Men are very slightly superior to women in precision of movement.  This fact is probably also connected with their superior muscular force.  In the formation of a new co-ordination women are superior.  The superiority of men in muscular strength is so well known that it is a universally accepted fact.  There has been more or less dispute as to which sex displayed greater manual dexterity.  According to the present results, that depends on what is meant by manual dexterity.  If it means the ability to make very delicate and minutely controlled movements,