64 Heredity and Child Culture 



there is noted a gradual and steady enlargement 

 of the great circumference of the skull, and, 

 from this, of its estimated volume. Although 

 no intellectual growth can be said to take place 

 under two years, there should be an active evolu- 

 tion of the front of the brain with increase of 

 the perceptions. The first rapid growth of the 

 brain after birth is more in bulk than in the size 

 and complexity of its convolutions. Hence in 

 early infancy the higher centres have but a 

 slight development and function. With proper 

 evolution, the convolutions grow and become 

 arranged in functional groups, which groups, 

 by their development, alter and modify the 

 shape of the infantile skull. If the skull is small 

 or improperly shaped in any part, the brain in 

 such area is imperfectly developing. A certain 

 amount of asymmetry is, however, found in all 

 skulls as in other structures of the body and, 

 unless very marked, has no great significance. 



The principle of biology that the develop- 

 ment of the individual reproduces on a small 

 scale the development of the race is well shown 

 in the infant's brain. The higher centres and 



