Life Beneath the Waves. 43 



gradually, but perceptibly, and as it gets 

 more and more forward, we perceive that 

 the crab is gently doubling up his legs and 

 lowering his claws, till at length the shell 

 which has hitherto protected him protects 

 him no longer, but falls from him, not 

 broken into pieces, but perfect, even to the 

 covering of the eyes and antennae or horns. 

 The marks on the crab are precisely the 

 same in shape as those on the discarded 

 coat, but larger, and the colouring very 

 much more brilliant. 



So greatly is the crab now increased in 

 size, that our first thought upon viewing 

 him without his discarded coat, is surprise 

 that he could ever have worn it at all ; and 

 this idea seems generally to occur to the 

 crab also, for his frequent custom, on 

 getting rid of his shell, is to seize it with 

 his claws, and after examining it for a 



