I.--Fig. 1. Chinese coin with the symbol of the nail-mark of the Empress Wen-teh 25 Fig. 2. Order on a camp sutler by Mr. Gilbert Thompson, who used his finger print for the same purpose as the scroll-work in cheques, viz. to ensure the detection of erasures 27 II.--Fig. 3. Form of card used at my anthropometric laboratory for finger prints. It shows the places where they are severally impressed, whether dabbed or rolled (p. 40), and the hole by which they are secured in their box 145 Fig. 4. Small printing roller, used in the pocket apparatus, actual size. It may be covered either with india-rubber tubing or with roller composition 40 III.--Fig. 5. Diagram of the chief peculiarities of ridges, called here _minutiae_ (the scale is about eight times the natural size) 54 Fig. 6. The systems of ridges and the creases in the palm, indicated respectively by continuous and by dotted lines. Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 show variations in the boundaries of the systems of ridges, and places where smaller systems are sometimes interpolated 54 IV.--Fig. 7. The effects of scars and cuts on the ridges: _a_ is the result of a deep ulcer; _b_ the finger of a tailor (temporarily) scarred by the needle; _c_ the result of a deep cut 59 Fig. 8. Formation of the interspace: filled in (3) by a loop; in (4) by a scroll. The triangular plot or plots are indicated. In (1) there is no interspace, but a succession of arches are formed, gradually flattening into straight lines 67 V.--Fig. 9. Specimens of rolled thumb prints, of the natural size, in which the patterns have been outlined, p. 69, and on which lines have been drawn for orientation and charting 68 VI.--Fig. 10. Specimens of the outlines of the patterns on the ten digits of eight different persons, not selected but taken as they came. Its object is to give a general idea of the degree of their variety. The supply of ridges from the _inner_ (or thumb side) are coloured blue, those from the _outer_ are red (the scale is of the natural size) 70 VII.--Fig. 11. Standard patterns of Arches, together with some transitional forms, all with their names below 75 Fig. 12. As above, with respect to Loops 75 VIII.--Fig. 13. As above, with respect to Whorls 75