H. Waite 
429 
Comparison of results with those of Galton. In order to compare with Gal ton's 
results it is necessary to put large and small loops into one class and to include 
composites with whorls. Making some allowance for the difference of classification, 
and for any slight variation which may be due to the fact that the material is 
drawn from very different classes of the population, it will be found that there 
is almost perfect agreement between our data on all essential points. 
The relative frequency found in the two investigations was: — 
Galton Waite 
Arches 6"5 per cent. 7"1 per cent. 
Loops 67'5 „ „ G5"5 „ ,, 
Whorls 26-0 „ „ 27-4 „ „ 
The differences are small in compai'ison with some found by Galton when 
examining the finger-prints of different races. For example, 1332 Hebrew 
children had arches on the right fore-finger in 13"6 per cent, of the cases, while 
only 7"9 per cent, of 2.50 English children had arches on that finger. 
TABLE 6 c. 
Percentage Frequency of Arches, Loops and Whorls on the different Digits. 
Galton* 
Waite 
From observations of the 5000 
From observations of 20000 digits of 
digits of 500 persons 
2000 persons 
Arches 
Loops 
Whorls 
Arches 
Loops 
Whorls 
Digit 
R 
L 
R 
L 
R 
L 
R 
L 
R 
L 
R 
L 
Fore-finger . . . 
17 
17 
53 
53 
30 
28 
17-6 
15-7 
49-7 
55-7 
32-7 
28-6 
Middle finger 
7 
8 
78 
76 
15 
16 
10-6 
10-7 
71-9 
72-2 
17-5 
17-1 
Little „ 
1 
2 
86 
90 
13 
8 
1-5 
1-7 
81-7 
86-4 
16-8 
11-9 
Thumb 
3 
5 
53 
65 
44 
30 
2-3 
4-5 
55-2 
65-7 
42-5 
29-8 
Ring finger... 
2 
3 
53 
66 
45 
31 
3-2 
3-3 
51-6 
64-7 
45-2 
32-0 
Totals 
30 
35 
323 
350 
147 
113 
35-2 
35-9 
310-1 
344-7 
154-7 
119-4 
Galton arranged the digits as in Table 6 c, in order to bring out certain 
peculiarities. He says : — 
" The digits are seen to fall into two well-marked groups ; the one including the fore, middle, 
and little fingers, the other including the thumb and ring finger. As regards the first group, the 
frequency with which any pattern occurs in any named digit is statistically the same, whether 
* From Finger Prints, p. 116, Table 11. 
55— a 
