| | | | [Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration] | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \ | R | \ | \ | \ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. LEFT THUMB |2. LEFT INDEX |3. LEFT M|4. LEFT RING |5. LEFT LITTLE 18| 10| MIDDLE I| I| 13 | | | | [Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration]|[Illustration] | | | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- a | / | / | / | / --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SECONDARY CLASSIFICATION (SMALL-LETTER GROUP): Prints with an arch or tented arch in any finger or a radial loop in any except the index fingers constitute the small-letter group of the secondary classification. Such "small letters," with the exception of those appearing in the index fingers, are brought up into the classification formula in their proper relative positions immediately adjacent to the index fingers (fig. 349). A dash is used to indicate the absence of each small letter between the index fingers and another small letter or between two small letters, as 1 aUa-t 1 aU-t. ------- and ------ 1 R-a 1 U-a Thus, if a radial loop appears in the right thumb, the small letter "r" would be brought up in the numerator column of the classification formula and placed just to the left of the capital letter representing the index finger. Similarly, if an arch or tented arch or a radial loop would appear in the middle, ring, or little finger of the hand, the small letter representing such a pattern would be placed on the classification line to the right of the secondary in the numerator column if the letter is present in the right hand, and in the denominator column if in the left hand. When two or more small letters of the same type occur immediately adjacent to each other, they are indicated thus: 1 rU-2a 1 aTa-a. ------- and ------- 1 tU3a 1 tA2at The small-letter groups are of vital importance to the classification system, as they are of relatively infrequent occurrence, constituting approximately 7 to 10 percent of all patterns. Generally speaking, since these patterns are of such rare occurrence, their very presence often enables the classifier to dispense with the usual subsecondary classification and the major division which in the majority of cases are used in the larger groups.