264 ANTHROPOLOGY xvn 



persons interesting to the police have been taken in a period 

 of ten years. 



The primary desideratum in a system of identification is a 

 ready means of classifying the data upon which it is based. 

 To accomplish this is the aim of the Bertillon system. Exact 

 measurements are taken between certain well-known and fixed 

 points of the bony framework of the body, which are known 

 not to change under different conditions of life. The length 

 and breadth of the head, the length of the middle finger, the 

 length of the foot, and the length of the forearm, are considered 

 the best, though others are added for greater certainty, as the 

 height, span of arms, length of ear, colour of eyes, etc. All 

 these particulars of every individual examined are recorded 

 upon a card, and by dividing each measurement into three 

 classes, long, medium, and short, and by classifying the various 

 combinations thus obtained, the whole mass of cards, kept 

 arranged in drawers in the central bureau, is divided up into 

 groups, each containing a comparatively small number, and 

 therefore quite easily dealt with. When the card of a new 

 prisoner is brought in, a few minutes suffice to eliminate the 

 necessity of comparison with any but one small batch, which 

 presents the special combination. Then photographs and 

 other means of recognition, as distinctive marks and form of 

 features, are brought into play, and identification becomes a 

 matter of certainty. On the other hand, if the combination 

 of measurements upon a new card does not coincide with any 

 in the classed collection in the bureau, it is known with 

 absolute certainty that the individual being dealt with has 

 never been measured before. 



One of the most striking results of the introduction of this 

 system into France has been that, since it has been brought 

 fully into operation, a large proportion of old offenders, knowing 

 that concealment is hopeless, admit their identity at once, and 

 save a world of trouble and expense to the police by ceasing 

 to endeavour to conceal themselves under false names. 



Various representations upon this subject have been 

 addressed to the Home Secretary of our own Government 

 during the last few years, and among others one from the 

 Council of this Association, which originated in a resolution 



