ACQUIREMENT OF NEW ARMOUR. 373 



structures is thrown off in a complete and uninter- 

 rupted state, even to the gauze-like membrane cover- 

 ing the projecting and pedicled eye, the filamentous 

 antennae, the many -jointed legs, the delicate didac- 

 tylous hand, the paddled abdomen with its beautiful 

 appendages, the palpi, and all the minute spines and 

 microscopic hairs with which these various members 

 are provided the human mind can hardly appreciate 

 the wonderful wisdom of the Creative Power that 

 could have called into existence so marvellous an 

 adaptation. 



At the moment the prawn has been thus liberated 

 from its old envelope, it rolls on the surface of the 

 ground, perfectly helpless ; for it is at first evidently 

 so soft, that it does not possess the power of support- 

 ing its own weight erect upon its feet, while the 

 beautifully delicate antennae float from its head like 

 gossamer-threads through the water. In a short 

 time, however, it plunges or springs by a strong mus- 

 cular exertion of its abdomen from place to place, 

 stretches its webbed tail and the large paddles of its 

 swimming apparatus, and soon retreats into some 

 dark and sheltered corner, where it remains, continu- 

 ally exercising its various organs, until such time as 

 the new investing membrane shall have become suffi- 

 ciently hardened to allow of its venturing forth among 

 its companions without danger ; for during all this 

 interval it is liable to their attacks whenever it comes 

 near them, and is obliged by a series of forcible leaps 

 rapidly to evade their attempts and to keep out of 

 their way. 



When the newly-coated Palcemon first makes its 



