256 



Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



man ^vitli the normal number of fingers and toes ; they have 

 four children, each one having more or less an excess of 

 toes and fingers. One of these, a man Avith hands and feet 

 formed exactly like his grandmother (five fingers and a tlmmb 

 on each hand, six toes on each foot), marries a woman with 

 normally-formed hands and feet; they have eight children, 

 four of whom have hands and feet with a normal number of 

 fingers and toes; the remaining four have an excess. The 

 hereditary propagation of pecuUarities is a curious subject, 

 and all family resemblances, however trifling they may 

 appear to ordinary persons, are interesting to the physiologist. 

 Whether they may be received at any time in a medico- 

 legal question as indications of value in assisting to deter- 

 mine a disputed title, or the possession of an estate, I know 

 not, but I do think they are valuable. If I found some 

 peculiarity in a person resembling that of one from whom he 

 was claiming a descent, and my opinion was asked about the 

 question, I should have no hesitation in expressing an 

 opinion, that to my mind there was but small doubt of the 

 certainty of his descent. 



Green- 



-Kejtdall. 



A man normallj^ 

 formed. 



She has 5 fingers and a thumb on 

 each hand, and 6 toes on each foot. 



Abigail, daughter. 

 One hand natural, the other 

 and both feet like her mother. 



Ten other children, all of them having 



5 fingers and a thumb on each hand, and 



6 toes on each foot. 



