THOUGH AIMING TO BRING THE BIOLOGICAL PHASES OF THE FIELD ALSO TO THE ATTENTION OF WORKERS IN IDENTIFICATION, THIS DOCUMENT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE AN ACCOUNT OF ROUTINE METHODS FOR FINGER-PRINT MEN, WHO ALREADY HAVE AVAILABLE SEVERAL EXCELLENT MANUALS OF PRACTICE. THE TEXT IS ARRANGED IN THREE PARTS, AND A REPRESENTATIVE WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED. PART I SUPPLIES HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND A GENERAL ORIENTATION OF THE FIELD. PART II DEALS WITH METHODS AND DESCRIPTION. PART III IS DEVOTED TO THE MORE FUNDAMENTAL BIOLOGICAL PHASES OF DERMATOGLYPHICS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)