1907.] on Dexterity and the Bend Sinister. 637 



Foot First Advanced in Walking from Position of Attention in 

 957 Persons: 694 Males, 263 Females. 



But on this point the returns seem equivocal, for while a large 

 majority of the women start off with the right leg, a large majority 

 of the men start with the left ; but the meaning of that is that a 

 considerable number of the men who have undergone military train- 

 ing or are accustomed to dance— to waltz at any rate — start with the 

 left foot. The movement is half voluntary, half automatic, and 

 therefore peculiarly amenable to training. 



The snapping of the fingers, a movement not subject to training, 

 and which we should expect to be bilaterally equal, for it depends on 

 the opposition of the thumb to the fingers, which is the foundation 

 of all manual operations, shows a decided right side tendency ; 6 per 

 cent, cannot snap at all, 2*.) per cent, can do so with both hands 

 equally well, 5 per cent, do so with greater facility with the left hand, 

 Imt 58 per cent, with the right. 



I am not able to say exactly how things stand at the present 

 moment, but I can testify that a short time ago there was not, 

 amongst the Judges on the Enghsh bench or amongst the Bishops in 

 the House of Lords, a single instance of left-handedness or ambi- 

 dexterity. I have evidence that at the present moment there is not, 

 with one exception, a Royal Academician of London, or Associate of 

 the Royal Academy of London, or a Royal Scottish Academician, or 

 Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy, who is either left-handed 

 or ambidextrous ; but, on the other hand, it is certain that these con- 

 ditions are exceedingly common amongst idiots. At my instigation 

 five-and-twenty years ago. Dr. W. Ireland examined the idiots and 

 imbeciles under his care at the Larbert Institution, and found that, 

 out of a total of 70 boys and 44 girls, 53 boys and 30 girls were 

 right-haiided, while 7 boys and 6 girls were left-handed and 10 boys 

 and 8 girls were ambidextrous, using either hand indifferently. The 

 governesses teaching sewing constantly complained that they had 

 difficulty in getting the girls to use one hand in preference to the 

 other. The sinistrous and ambidextrous at Larbert were 27 percent, 

 of the number examined, whereas the highest percentage ever observed 

 in an investigation amongst sound-minded people was 8 per cent., 

 and that was obviously exceptionally high. Dr. Ireland's inquiry 



