198 



Life and Letters of Francis Galton 



(ii) 150 to 156, (iii) 129 to 136, (iv) 450 to 464, (v) 113 to 116, all inclusive. 

 The danger of the anthropometric formula will arise when we have one or 

 more measurements in the neighbourhood of these limits. Galton uses the 

 five-symbol classification for his finger-print formula, namely A = arch, L = loop, 

 W = whorl, U and R being used for ulnar and radial loops on forefingers only. 

 He adopts the numerical abbreviations of his later work, i.e. 



\=aa or A A, 2 = al or AL, 3=aw or AW, 



A=la or LA, 5 = 11 or LL, 6 = Iw or L W, 



7 = wa or WA , 8 = wl or WL, 9 = ww or WW. 



The third line is the secondary classification of the finger-prints, but he 

 takes only the following six fingers in the order : fore, middle and ring fingers 

 of the right hand, and then fore, middle and ring fingers of the left hand. In the 

 secondary classification the symbols Galton uses are those of his Finger Print 

 Directories with two additions, i.e. b = partially burnt by fire or chemicals, 

 or so spoilt by work as to leave granulations in place of ridges, and m = the 

 pattern is minute, so small that two specimens of the characteristic portion 

 would occupy less space than that covered by a single dabbed print. As there 

 is no secondary classification for thumb or little finger, the description is not 

 so full as in the later work. Ridges are counted in the same manner as 

 we describe on pp. 201-2 ; and are given for the forefingers when they are 

 loops, and for the middle finger when it is needful to distinguish between 

 individuals having the same primary classifications. The fourth line gives the 

 initials of the subject, the year of birth, the year of measurement, and the 

 registered number of the subject, so that his finger-prints may be found. 

 The following individual cases will illustrate the compactness of the arrange- 

 ment and explain its interpretation : 



They are taken from the finger-print index. 58a = llwla ; thus G. K., whose 

 finger-prints were registered as No. 6590 and who was born in 1862 and 

 measured when he was 32 years old, was in the medium classes for length 

 and breadth of head and for left cubit ; he was wide in bizygomatic or cheek 

 bone width and had a short left middle finger; the second line gives his actual 

 measurements. His finger-print formula was ALW, RLL, WL, WL. Both 

 his thumbs were whorls, and his little fingers loops; no further information 

 is given. His right forefinger was an arch, there being a needle or racquet- 

 shaped ridge therein ; his right middle finger was a loop invaded by a blunt 

 system of ridges; his right ring finger was a whorl with a racquet-shaped core. 

 On the left hand the forefinger was a radial loop, and the ring finger a non- 

 radial loop, the middle finger was a non-radial loop with the inner part of the 



