100 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUAEIUM. 



sometimes remain for perhaps half an hour or longer 

 before it is rejected. 



" The new limb is formed within the old shell, and 

 lies folded up until the exuviae are shed, when it ap- 

 pears as a part of the new skeleton, the sac-like mem- 

 brane which protected it being cast with the annual 

 moult, and is larger or smaller in accordance with the 

 length of time which may exist between the period 

 of the amputation of the limb and the shedding of 

 the skin. The condition in which the limb is then 

 remains, as the rest of the animal, stationary in 

 growth, until the next period of shedding the exuviae, 

 when the whole creature again advances in size, but 

 the new limb more rapidly than the remainder of the 

 animal, until it equals it in relative proportion. 



"It is, therefore, dependent upon the length of 

 time which occurs between the accident and the next 

 succeeding moult, to allow the new limb to' develop 

 itself, that the variety of size depends, which has 

 given rise to the prevailing idea of the limb itself 

 continuing to enlarge constantly." 



Verily, to contemplate such mysteries as these, 



" Imagination wastes its strength in vain, 

 And fancy tires and turns within itself, 

 Struck with the amazing depths of Deity." 



When remarking, at the commencement of this chap- 

 ter, that the skinned Crabs were " unpleasant to look 

 upon," I alluded not so much to the eatable Crab 

 (Cancer pagurus) as to that horrid rascal (Carcinus 

 mcenus), who seems as if he were always fed on ver- 



