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OCR Rendition - approximate
8 0 FINGER PRINTS CHAP. slight slope, but is otherwise fairly symmetrical. In h there is some want of symmetry, and a tendency to the formation of a loop on the right side (refer back to Plate 7, Fig. 11, 4, and Fig. 12, 12); it is a transitional case between a tented arch and a loop, with most resemblance to the latter. Plate 10, Fig. 16 illustrates eyed patterns ; here l and m are parts of decided loops ; p, q, and r are decided whorls, but n is transitional, inclining towards a loop, and o is transitional, inclining towards a whorl. s is a nascent form of an invaded loop, and is nearly related to l ; t and u are decidedly invaded loops. The Arch-Loop-Whorl, or, more briefly, the A.L.W. system of classification, while in some degree artificial, is very serviceable for preliminary statistics, such as are needed to obtain a broad view of the distribution of the various patterns. A minute subdivision under numerous heads would necessitate a proportional and somewhat overwhelming amount of statistical labour. Fifty-four different standard varieties are by no means an extravagant number, but to treat fifty-four as thoroughly as three would require eighteen times as much material and labour. Effort is economised by obtaining broad results from a discussion of the A.L.W. classes, afterwards verifying or extending them by special inquiries into a few of the further subdivisions. The divergent ridges that bound any simple pattern admit of nine, and only nine, distinct variations in the first part of their course. The bounding ridge that has attained the summit of any such
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