摘要:The author's discussions on the classification of fingerprints are summarized as follows:1. When four fingerprint types, arch (A), radial loop (RL), ulnar loop (UL) and whorl (W) are distinguished, the combinations of W with A, RL and UL are especially difficult to appear (table 1).2. Three subtypes (RW, UW and DW) were distinguished in W by its relation to RL and UL (fig. 2). The combination of RW with RL and that of UW with UL are comparatively easy, but that of DW with RL or UL is difficult to appear (table 3 and fig. 3).3. The distributions in the quantity of ridges of RL and UL (fig. 5a) may be attributable to the complex of such two diagramatic distributions as illustrated in figure 5a', and A may be the intermediate type between RL and UL(fig. 4 and 5). There are no greatdifferences in the quantity of ridges among RW, UW and DW (fig. 7). Concerning the quantity of ridges, it is also important that the tendency of direct correlation is observed between two types of different winding ridge-directions (table 5 and fig. 8). A comparatively conspicuous discrepancy in the quantity of ridges, therefore, is pointed out between A-RL-UL and W, the quantity of ridges of the latter being more than that of the former (fig. 9).4. It may be difficult to say that the present classifications, which have been generally adopted, are sufficiently consistent in both criteria of classifications, namely the winding directions (R and U) and the quantity of ridges in fingerprints.