Book review and question

I've just finished reading A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer. I enjoyed it very much, and found it thought-provoking as well.

The setting is a world where the birth rate is heavily skewed towards girls; the result is a polygamist matriarchy where young men are swapped or sold into marriage for valuable dowries. The author uses rigid gender roles in the reverse of our society's, without apology, in a way that frequently made me pause and ponder; this despite the fact that I have of course examined societal gender roles before. All this and a reasonably fun plot and engaging characters, as well (though development of minor characters left something to be desired).

I'm left wondering, though-- are there any examples in nature of species with a natural birth rate that is not 50/50 in gender? In the novel, the male birth rate seems to be about 1 to 15 female.

Project 365

Don't you wish you could relax like this?

That's the kidlet's leg Oscar is draped over, and his paws are gently touching Gypsy-- in a "it's nice to be close to you" way rather than a "get out of my space" way.

(Pics like this are why I won't do Project365 next year. Yes, I've gotten to where even a quick pic of a cat or critter at the feeders is pretty good-- but I'd really rather post only when it's something special. You'll still get pics several times a week, though!)