HUMAN FOOT-PRINTS DIFFER AS MUCH AS HAND-PRINTS 
The toe and ball of the foot have well marked patterns, but the human heel-is usually marked 
merely by curved lines, just as is the toe of the lemur. 
In the above prints, heavy lines have been added 
heel has been found, but it is very rare. 
to show the types of pattern. 
plicated whorled type;’ and it is thus 
evident that even in such a minute 
detail as the arrangement of the lines 
on the fingers the manlike apes and man 
stand apart from their kindred, and 
that in man alone is the most compli- 
cated type ever developed, although 
even in him it is comparatively rare.’’ 
USE OF APES’ FINGER-PRINTS 
This similarity between the finger- 
prints of great apes and man is not 
without importance from a _ practical 
point of view. In the Navy, for 
example, where pets are universally 
kept, monkeys are often found. Sup- 
pose there is a burglary in the captain’s 
Photograph from René Bache. 
One distinct pattern on man’s 
(Fig. 17.) 
cabin, and blurred finger-prints are 
discovered. Suspicion might have been 
directed at a steward; but if it were 
shown that these finger-prints were not 
made by a human being, the ship’s 
mascot would be properly blamed. 
The possibility of this was great enough 
to lead J. H. Taylor, finger-print expert 
of the Navy Department of the United 
State Government, to have prints made 
from some of the common types of 
apes and monkeys, which are kept on 
file for future use, and some of which 
are reproduced in connection with the 
present review. Few who have not 
given careful study to the subject 
would be able to say that the finger- 
5 J. H. Taylor points out that this is incorrect. The thumbs of the orang reproduced in Fig. 15 
show well-developed whorls. In complexity of finger-tip pattern, as in many other physical 
characters, man must take his stand on a level with the other primates—he cannot claim to be in 
a class by himself. It is also in accord with the remark of Darwin, citing Huxley’s work, that 
‘in every visible character man differs less from the higher apes, than these do from the lower 
members of the same order of primates.” 
6 These photographs (Figs 14, 15 and 16) were made on May 8, 1915, by Miss Gertrude M. 
Sullender, finger-print expert at Blackwell's Island, and Patrick Ryan, of New York City, through 
the courtesy of Park Commissioner Ward. Fig. 16 is an enlargement made by René Bache. 
Mr. Taylor notes that ‘‘the impression taken from the baboon and monkeys’ feet would all be 
oy 
