62 
On the 1 ithcritance of the Finger- Print 
large loops than in small. My tables will illustrate these jDoints. I have worked 
on Dr Waite's material* and have separated "not plain" loops from loops. 
If we consider the number of small loops in the fingers of the right hand when 
arches occur on 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 fingers respectively we get the following: 
If 0 arches on right hand on remaining 5 fingers we have 27'7 small loops 
1 „ 4 „ „ 52-4 7° 
2 „ ., „ 3 „ „ 59-5% 
3 „ „ „ 2 „ „ 66-7 X „ 
4 „ „ „ 1 „ „ 93-8 7, - 
If a right hand has four fingers with arches, then in 15 out of 16 cases the 
remaining finger has a small loop, i.e. 93-8 7o of small loops, while if there are 
0 arches on the hand the percentage of loops on the five fingers is 27"7 showing 
clearly a correlation between arches and small loops. If we consider whorls in 
connection with large k)ops we obtain the following: 
If 0 whorls on right hand on remaining 5 fingers wd have 27-7 large loops 
1 . „ ,> ,.4 „ „ 37-6 7° » 
2 „ „ „ 3 „ „ 43--i7o 
3 „ „ „ 2 „ „ 49-1 7„ 
4 „ „ ■ „ 1 „ „ 43-1 7„ 
Here, the greater the number of fingers with whorls the greater the percentage 
of large loops on the remaining fingers. I have already noted that " not plain " 
(eyed, invaded and hooked) loops occur more frequently in large loops than in 
small. If we consider the later series collected by Francis Galton we find the 
following on the first finger of the left hand : 
Number 
of 
I'idses 
1,2,3,4 ... 
5,6,7,8 ... 
9, 10, 11, 12 
13, 14, 15, 16 
17, 18, 19, 20 
21 and over 
Plain 
Loops 
112 
113 
89 
68 
22 
4 
Males 
Not Plaiu 
Loops 
10 
13 
18 
19 
9 
4 
Totals 
122 
126 
107 
87 
31 
8 
Percent. 
Not Plain 
8-2 
10-3 
lG-8 
21-8 
29-0 
50-0 
Females 
Plain 
Loops 
185 
105 
114 
87 
29 
5 
Not Plaiu 
Loops 
10 
18 
22 
22 
11 
5 
Totals 
195 
123 
136 
109 
40 
10 
Percent. 
Not Plain 
Just as whorls are associated with large rather than small loops so are 
" not plain " loops, which is what we should expect if the theory that " not plain " 
loops ai'e a stage on the Avay from loops to whorls be a true one. 
* I should like here to record my indebtedness to Dr Waite for allowing me to use material that he 
has classified and tabled for my experiments in this direction ; its use has saved me much labour and 
I am most grateful to him. ,- 
