SCIENTIFIC PALMISTRY. 51 



together, to approximate still closer until they became entirely coin- 

 cident, a condition not infrequent. 



These modifications of areas may be readily expressed in terms of 

 the primary lines which determine and bound them, and as each of 

 these four lines possesses a large number of possible positions, they 

 may be made the basis of a classification by which an individual palm 

 not only might have a definite place in a series, but might also be 

 conveniently designated and briefly described; furthermore, the terms 

 constantly occurring in such a description might be expressed by 

 obvious symbols, thus reducing it to a simple formula. To illustrate 

 this the four palms given in Fig. 6 may be described in terms of the 

 primary lines as follows: 



(a) Line 1, open to margin; line 2, open to margin; line 3, fused with 

 eighth digital line; line 4, recurrent, dividing third palmar area. 



(6) Line 1, open to margin, low; line 2, open to margin; line 3, fused with 

 line 4; line 4, fused with line 3. 



(c) Line 1, involved in pattern, returning above; line 2, fused with line 4; 

 line 3, recurrent, dividing third palmar area; line 4, fused with line 2. 



(d) Line 1, open to margin; line 2, fused with line 3; line 3, fused with 

 line 2; line 4, dividing first palmar area. 



By the employment of a few obvious symbols these descriptions 

 might be transformed into formulae, as, for example: 



(a) d 8 ^ 



(6) -f-4-- + 3 



p 



(c) In H ret. above h 4 --- s h 2 



(d) +3 + 2 



This exposition of individual differences in the course of the papil- 

 lary ridges, and the suggestion of methods of recording, interpreting 

 and describing them, leads us away from the realm of morphology to 

 that of their practical use in establishing personal identity and thus 

 brings us to the work of Mr. Francis Galton, who by the patient 

 observation of a long series of years has elaborated a system by which 

 personal identification may be established by the use of the apical pat- 

 terns. As a result, primarily, of the suggestions of Sir William 

 Herschel, Galton in his anthropological laboratory at South Kensing- 

 ton, has spent years in collecting data for his work, and to him belongs 

 the entire credit of having established the two essential facts upon 

 which all claim to the value of such markings in the point at issue must 

 rest, namely; (1) their absolutely individual character, and the impos- 

 sibility of an exact duplicature in two individuals and (2) their per- 

 manence throughout life.* 



* See for this Galton's numerous publications on the subject and especially 

 his two books on ' Finger Prints ' and ' The Decipherment of Blurred and In- 

 distinct Finger Prints.' Macmillan, 1892-94. 



