A Week in the Isles of Scilly

in of the serpent is the serpent itself. On examination these shells will be found to be entirely hollow, destitute of even a fragment of flesh. The eyes, the claws, the body, are the mere skins which the former owners have left to be destroyed by the winds and waves. It must be known to all, that crabs and lobsters like most other creatures, grow; and yet perhaps it has rarely, if ever, occurred to the mind to enquire how that growth can be effected, seeing that the external case is so solid and unyielding. These fragments found on the shore will explain the mystery. All crabs and lobsters grow, first by casting off the hard external case, and afterwards rapidly enlarging the new one before it has become hard. In thevery young, this process is effected frequently through the year; but less so as they get older. Those of middle size do it from once to four times during the year, while in the very old it is of irregular and rare occurrence. When a crab is about to cast its shell, it becomes more inactive than usual; a new skin is formed under the old crust, and finally the old one is altogether removed from any vital connection with the animal. During this process the different seams become loose, and the frame fragile. In most crabs, there is a waved seam under the front of the back or dorsal surface, this becomes disunited and the two edges become separated; and this is continued quite round to the hinder legs. This separation gradually increases, and the anima... --This text refers to the Paperback edition.