ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PAPILLARY RIDGES 163 



actions, we find the facts of these and numerous other Primates 

 agree in a remarkable manner with the hypothesis ; whereas the 

 exclusive non-slipping rival has many awkward facts to explain, 

 or disregard. 



Further as one has always to bear in mind the Mendelian 

 analysis it should be observed that the extreme variability, within 

 certain limits, of the arrangements of papillary ridges throughout 

 the Primates renders the hypothesis of unit-characters segregated, 

 according to Mendelian laws, wholly inapplicable to the manner 



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PR 



PR 



-- /=>./?, 



Fig. 62. 

 Hedgehog — right foot. 



Fig. 62a. Fig. 63. 



Hedgehog — right hand. Common squirrel — left foot. 



of their arrangement even though perhaps not so to the existence 

 of papillary ridges. 



It may be bluntly asserted that the ridges are arranged as we 

 find them because, hands and feet being used as they are, the ridges 

 " can do no other," and that there's an end of it, and that we 

 cannot derive any help as to the origin of specific difference from 

 such a trifle, the next item on the agenda should be called for. As 

 a piece of dialectics that would be effective, but if taken literally 

 it only goes to prove my simple contention. 



m2 



