32 ME. S. J. A. SALTER ON THE MOULTING OF THE 



tionless. Then, by another vibratory action, the second segment 

 was extricated ; then followed an interval of repose, when tlie 

 third was withdrawn; and so on till, at last, the entire abdomen, 

 after having been bent double upon itself, was turned completely 

 out backwards, and then, elongated and compressed, remained 

 above and parallel to the empty shell that it had occupied, and 

 which was still attached to the under surface of the cephalo-thorax. 

 Hitherto the only orifice of escape consisted in the transverse 

 splitting of the first abdominal segment from the carapace, on the 

 dorsal surface. None of the abdominal segments separated from 

 each other. 



Thus far the extrication had commenced at the front of the 

 abdomen, and had progressed from before backwards. It was now 

 observed that the carapace had split from behind forwards, the fis- 

 sure commencing posteriorly at the transverse split between the 

 carapace and the first abdominal segment, and reaching forwards 

 to the apex of the rostrum, which, however, it did not absolutely 

 divide. The two halves of the carapace then separating posteriorly, 

 the interval between them, together with the original transverse 

 slit, constituted a trifid opening, through which the rest of the 

 animal escaped. 



The escape of the cephalo-thoracic portion was effected from be- 

 hind forwards. First the posterior ambulatory legs were loosened 

 and withdrawn ; then followed the next pair ; and this process 

 was continued from behind forwards, pair by pair — the withdrawal 

 of each pair of legs being followed by an interval of repose. The 

 limbs were withdrawn very readily from the old shell, slipping out 

 of it as a leg would from a loose boot. No apparent effort ac- 

 companied these operations so far. 



The extrication of the claws, however, was attended with mucli 

 and violent exertion. This consisted of two powerful and sudden 

 tugs, the soft abdomen of the Lobster pressing by its under surface 

 upon the upper surface of the empty sheU. By this means the 

 soft chelae were drawn through the narrow joints of the old shell, 

 exhibiting strong, unmistakeable marks of the violence and pres- 

 sure to which they had been subjected. The escape of the chela? 

 from their unyielding incasement was not aided by any splitting 

 of the old shell, the large soft hands being drawn by compression 

 through the narrow joints, as a wire is drawn through the con- 

 tracting holes of a draw-plate. 



The efforts for the withdrawal of the chelae were the last, and 

 succeeded in completely freeing the Lobster from its old case. 



