118 CHARLES MIDLO AND HAROLD CUMMINS 



the mere recording of configuration types and their fre- 

 quencies must be provided if the desired comparisons are to 

 be made. An earlier consideration of "pattern intensity" 

 in connection with finger prints ( Cummins and Goldstein, '32 ; 

 Cummins and Steggerda, '35) suggests a similar analysis in 

 the present study. The pattern intensity of these authors (like 

 the comparable "Deltie" of Kirchmair and Poll, '36) is a 

 measure of the degrees of pattern elaboration; arches, loops 

 and whorls are assigned values (0, 1 and 2 respectively) which 

 represent, roughly though it may be, the scale of increasing 

 configurational complexity. Summated for the individual, or 

 for right and left hands or for single digits, these values are 

 useful for comparison of what is believed to be a fundamentally 

 important trait of the dermatoglyphics. Though the present 

 numerical evaluations of configuration types differ from those 

 cited in the studies of human finger prints, the principle here 

 adopted is the same, being directed toward rating the degrees 

 of configurational complexity. In accord with this principle 

 and as detailed below, weights or values are assigned the vari- 

 ous configurations, recognizing in these numerical ratings the 

 levels of elaboration of patterns. Such values of pattern in- 

 tensity may then be appropriately summated and averaged for 

 the various comparisons. Though an apparent weakness of 

 the procedure is the arbitrary assignment of weights to the 

 different configuration types, we have been repeatedly im- 

 pressed in the course of this study by evidences of the sub- 

 stantial worth of the method. 



In view of the existence of individual variations in pattern 

 intensity, a reasonable number of individuals of each genus is 

 requisite in drawing comparisons with the use of this measure. 

 Adequate numbers are not available in all the genera which 

 have been treated in the descriptions. Only twenty-four non- 

 human genera (named in tables 4 and 5) are represented in 

 the study of pattern intensity, and in some comparisons the 

 number (see tables 7 and 8) is still further reduced. 



