H. Waite 
427 
hands, the thumb appears to be most closely related to the ring finger, then to 
the little finger, next to the middle and least to the fore-finger. 
Another method of investigating the approximate relationship between the 
various digits is by means of a " centesimal " scale, as in Galton's Finqer Prints, 
Ch. VIII. Table 6 b gives such scale readings for small loops, large loops and 
whorls, for pairs of digits on the same hand and for digits of the same name on 
opposite hands. I have not considered it necessary to include other couplets 
TABLE 6«. 
Percentage of Gases in ivhich various pairs of Digits possess the 
same Glass of Pattern. 
Couplet 
Thumb and fore-finger 
„ middle finger 
ring 
,, little „ 
Fore-finger and middle finger 
» ring „ 
„ little „ 
Middle and ring finger 
„ little ,, 
Ring and little „ 
Means 
Eight Hand 
A SL LL W C 
15-2 
10-8 
10-4 
Totals 
29-7 
29-9 
38- 5 
33-1 
46-4 
39- 6 
38-1 
41-1 
46- 8 
47- 5 
39-1 
Left Hand 
2-0 
SL LL ir C 
20-8 
7-2 
13-4 
17-1 
15-7 
7-9 
7- 1 
8- 2 
15-4 
15-3 
19-5 
12-7 
6-7 
Totals 
1-0 
Couplet 
A 
SL 
LL 
W 
G 
Totals 
Two thumbs 
1-5 
10-2 
23-4 
13 -.5 
2-7 
51-3 
„ fore-fingers . . . 
9-3 
22-7 
5-6 
14-4 
1-4 
53-4 
,, middle fingers 
5-8 
31-8 
14-8 
7-0 
•9 
60-3 
1-9 
18-2 
18-4 
21-2 
1-5 
61-2 
„ little „ 
■9 
36-1 
27-2 
5-0 
1-4 
70-6 
Means,.. 
3-9 
23-8 
17-9 
12-2 
1-6 
59-3 
43-2 
from opposite hands, because, as is shown later, the relationship between any 
pair of digits from opposite hands is practically the same as between the corre- 
sponding pair on the same hand. I have also omitted arches and composites from 
this part of the inquiry as the numbers belonging to these classes are, as a rule, 
comparatively small. 
Biometrika x 55 
