SEX. The physical difference between male and female in animals.

2. In the human species the male is called man, (q. v.) and the female, woman. (q. v.) Some human beings whose sexual organs are somewhat imperfect, have acquired the name of hermaphrodite. (q. v.)

3. In the civil state the sex creates a difference among individuals. Women cannot generally be elected or appointed to offices or service in public capa-cities. In this our law agrees with that of other nations. The civil law excluded women from all offices civil or public: Faemintae ab omnibus officiis civilibus vel publicis remotae sunt. Dig. 50, 17, 2. The principal reason of this exclusion is to encourage that modesty which is natural to the female sex, and which renders them unqualified to mix and contend with men; the pre-tended weakness of the sex is not probably the true reason. Poth. Des Personnes, tit. 5; Wood's Inst. 12; Civ. Code of Louis. art. 24; 1 Beck's Med. Juris. 94. Vide Gender; Male; Man; Women; Worthiest of blood.

SHAM PLEA. One entered for the mere purpose of delay; it must be of a matter which the pleader knows to be false; as judgment recovered, that is, that judgment has already been recovered by the plaintiff for the same cause of action.

2. These sham pleas are generally discouraged, and in some cases are treated as a nullity. Barn. & Ald. 197, 199; 5 Id. 750; 1 Barn. & Cr. 286; Archb. Civ. Pl. 249; 1 Chit. Pl. 401.

SHARE. A portion of anything. Sometimes shares are equal, at other times they are unequal.

2. In companies and corporations the whole of the capital stock is usually divided into equal proportions called shares. Shares in public companies have sometimes been held to be real estate, but most usually they are considered as personal property. Wordsw. Jo. Sto. Co. ch. 1 P, p. 288. 3. The proportion which descends to one of several children from his ancestor, is called a share. The term share and share alike, signifies in equal proportions. See Pwrpart.

SHEEP. A wether more than a year old. 4 Car. & Payne, 216; 19 Engl. Com. Law Rep. 331, S. C.