358 



Mr, Francis Gallon 



[May 25, 



unique, through the kindness of Sir Wm. Herschel. It consists of 

 the imprints of the two first fingers of his own hand, made in 1860 

 and in 1888 respectively, that is, at j^eriods separated by an interval 

 of twenty-eight years. I have also two intermediate imprints, made 

 by him in 1874 and in 1883 respectively. Figs. 9 and 11 are cut 

 from photographs on an enlarged scale of the imprints of 18G0 and 

 1888, which were made direct upon the engraver's block; these wood- 

 cuts may therefore be relied on as very correct representations of the 

 originals in my present possession. Fig. 10 refers to the jiortion of 

 Fig. 9 to which I am about to draw attention. On first examining 

 these and other finger-marks, the eye wanders and becomes confused, 

 not knowing where to fix itself; the points shown in Fig. 10 are 



Fig. 10. 





^fN^ 



/ft 



^\ 





Positions of furrow-heads and bifurcations of furrows, in Fijr. 9. 



Fig. 11. 





Enlarged impressions of the fore and middle finger tips of the right hand of 

 Sir 'William Herschel, made in the year 1888. 



