Principle of Nerve Components 21 



may be followed to their termination in secondary nuclei. 

 Thus the analysis may be continued until the various com- 

 ponents are found to end in centres common to two or more 

 of them — correlation centres, and from these, connections 

 may be followed to higher correlation centres, and the func- 

 tional pattern of the whole brain may be elucidated. 



This principle is of value not only to the research worker, 

 but also to the beginning student, whom it provides with 

 what is probably the best available line of attack in approach- 

 ing a difficult subject. Experience has shown that the most 

 satisfactory way of making a first study of the finer anatomy 

 of the brain is not to study each section as a whole but to 

 follow out each functional system through the series of 

 available sections, completing its examination before looking 

 at the elements belonging to another system. This method 

 of presentation will accordingly be employed in the following 

 pages. 



