24 CHARLES MIDLO AND HAROLD CUMMINS 



With few exceptions, the area in which the dermatoglyphics 

 are drawn is confined to the palm and sole, portions of digits 

 included in the outlines being left blank. Areas left blank 

 on the palm or sole are regions lacking ridge formation (hav- 

 ing only islands and epidermal rings), except in instances 

 where a question mark is inserted to indicate that a scar or 

 other defect renders impossible a reliable determination of the 

 dermatoglyphics. In drawings of the soles of prosimians the 

 proximal boundary of the area of ridged skin is limited by a 

 line, the hairy heel region being either omitted or left blank. 



In the formulated descriptions listed under each genus 

 below, the frequencies of configuration types in each of the 

 morphologically recognized areas are stated. Excepting man, 

 where frequencies are in percentages, they represent the abso- 

 lute numbers of the various configuration types. 



The numbers of examples upon which the observations are 

 based are variously placed in the descriptions. Where the 

 entire series of hands or of feet available in the genus is 

 utilized for all areas, the number is placed in the heading, in 

 parentheses. It is often that one or more areas in a palm or 

 sole must be omitted in the formulation, owing to local im- 

 perfections of specimens or to questionable accuracy in some 

 regions of drawings obtained from the literature. 



The frequencies here presented are compiled from lists of 

 formulae written according to the methods customarily used in 

 the formulation of palmar configurations in man (Cummins 

 et al., '29), with such modifications as are necessary to adapt 

 the method to other primates. A brief account of the scheme 

 of formulation follows. 



Symbols for configuration types. Formulation represents 

 merely short-hand description, symbols being used instead of 

 words. The basic configuration types (see fig. 596), with their 

 descriptive symbols, are: 



O, Open field a succession of parallel ridges, 

 straight or but gently curved, devoid of the char- 

 acters which distinguish the types listed below. 



