CRABS. 7 



painted butteifly, or the village maid, by toucTi of fairy 

 wand, throws off her homely garb, and steps forth the 

 gauzy glittering columbine in the transformation scene 

 of a pantomime ; but are works of time and trouble, 

 the body appearing to dilate within its prison until the 

 coffer-like cover formed by the shell slowly and by 

 degrees gives way, the membranes one by one are torn 

 asunder, the muscular tissue filling up the large claws 

 and j)incers undergoes a softening process which admits 

 of its being drawn through the constrictions between 

 the joints, and the crustacean and his old garments 

 part company at last. 



Between the loss of the old shell and the secretion 

 of a new one, nothing can be more unenviable than 

 the position occupied by our poor forlorn friend, who, 

 like some fashionable exquisite during a temporary 

 misunderstanding with his tailor, seeks retirement and 

 obscurity. The pert young crabHngs, inquisitive, 

 troublesome little gobies, and irritating prawns, who a 

 short time since treated him with due respect, now pinch 

 his unprotected skin and nibble at his poor defence- 

 less tail in a manner not to be endured ; so he shuns 

 society, goes into dock for repairs, and waits for fresh 

 sheathing and his new pincers to grow. These under 

 favourable circumstances soon form, and " Eichard is 

 himself again." It is our opinion that these moult- 

 ings or changes do not, as some authors have stated, 



