The table gives a very favourable impression of the differentiating power of all these methods of indexing. By the “i and o fore-finger” method, it requires as many as 76 different index-headings to include the finger prints of 100 different persons, 195 of 300 persons, and 285 of 500.

The number of entries under each index-heading varies greatly; reference to the index of 100 sets showing no less than six entries (Nos. 60-65) under one of them, and four entries (Nos. 18-21 and 37-40) under each of two others. Thus, although a large portion of the 100 sets are solitary entries under their several headings, and can be found by a single reference, the remainder are grouped together like the commoner surnames in a directory. They are troublesome to distinguish, and cannot be subdivided at all except by supplementary characteristics, such as the number of ridges in some specified part of the pattern, or the character of the cores.

In other respects the difference of merit between the three methods is somewhat greater, as is succinctly indicated by the next table.

Table XI.—In 100 Sets.

Number of Entries
under the same head.		No. of different index-headings.
All
slopes.		i and o
fore-fingers
only.		No
slope.
1716358
21089
3131
4...22
5.........
61......
13......1
Total837671

Hence it is evident that the second method of “i-o fore-finger” is capable of dealing rapidly with 100 cases, but that the method of “no slope” will give trouble in twelve out of the hundred cases.

Table XII.

Index-headings under which more than 1 per cent of the
sets of Finger Prints were registered.

(500 sets observed.)