253 
them. It must farthermore be pointed out that a centre is often 
indicated by a loop formed of a single epidermic ridge, also that the 
human palmar patterns are apt to be much obscured by longitudinal 
wrinkling, especially over the thenar eminence. Taking these matters 
into consideration, we may find if we study a large number of human 
hands, indications of each of the centres found in the palm of Inuus, 
'with the probable exception of the accessory hypothenar, which is 
shown by Cebus not to be general. 
The palmar centres are almost always represented by one or 
two loops. The hypothenar centre is often entirely absent, the epi- 
dermic ridges running uninterruptedly across the eminence, or it may 
be indicated by a more or less definite loop. In my own right hand 
it appears with such definiteness that I have shown it in Fig. 2, while 
in my left it forms a wide loop. In six hands examined, the hypo- 
thenar centre was shown in two as a wide loop and was wanting in 
the rest. In have found in one instance a beautifully defined scroll 
upon the thenar region. 
II. Regarding the second question, the hand of Inuus, standing, 
as it does, between Man and quadrupedal Mammals, was found to 
be further suggestive. The eminences on the palm, upon which the 
centres occur, both in form and arrangement suggest the pads of 
such a pentadactylous foot as those of Carnivora or Rodentia. 
Accordingly I turned for comparison to the fore-paw of the cat (cf. 
Fig. 1 with Fig. 3). The pads at the ends of toes II—V may be 
seen at once to correspond to the apical centres of the fingers. 
The large pad underneath corresponds in position to the palmar 
centres, and is undoubtedly the result of the fusion of several pads, 
but in the adult there is nothing other than an apparently tri-lobed 
shape, to indicate the number of pads involved. It was, however, a 
simple matter to prove, from a short study of embryos of different 
ages, that it is actually formed from three original pads, and thus 
corresponds, centre for centre, with the palmar region of Inuus. The 
thumb is so much reduced that the determination of the pad connec- 
ted with it is somewhat uncertain, but it seems rather to belong to 
the apical series than to represent a thenar pad. The hypothenar pad 
is evidently represented by the prominent conical spur upon the ulnar 
side of the wrist. In line with this, but somewhat further back, there 
is an elevation which bears a few long bristles, but this cannot be 
brought into line as a pad and is evidently another formation. 
The close correspondence between the pads of the 
foot of a pentadactylous walking Mammal and the cen- 
