A few minutes after the crab had been placed in the tumbler, I gave a peep to see how he was getting on. To my intense surprise, I observed that his shell had just opened near the tail! My first feeling was one of sorrow, thinking that in handling the specimen I had been too rough, and had perhaps injured it. This apprehension was soon changed to delight, as I became by degrees aware that exuviation had actually commenced. The operation did not extend beyond five minutes (although the time appeared much longer to me), and was carried on by gentle, and at first almost imperceptible degrees. The shell, or carapace, was slowly raised over the back, and gave one the idea of the rear view of a lawyer's white wig when tilted over his brow, thus exposing the natural black hair on the occiput below; for, as the body of the animal came forth, it was very dark in colour, while the old case assumed a whitish hue. I need hardly say, the leg sheaths of the crab did _not_ split open, and yet the corresponding limbs were drawn out with the greatest ease. Moreover, they did not appear in view one by one, but in a cluster, as it were, and packed close to the bent body of the crab. During the entire process the animal appeared to use scarcely any exertion whatever, certainly not half so much as any human being would exhibit in throwing off the most trifling garment. In fact, the crab seemed to swell painlessly, and gently roll or glide out in a kind of ball. Until it had completely escaped from its old shell, I was somewhat puzzled to guess what shape it would eventually assume. The eyes and antennæ, so soon as they left their old sheaths, commenced, together with the flabellæ, to work as usual, although as yet they were still inside the exuvium. This circumstance was distinctly visible by looking through the side of the half-cast shell. It was a curious and extraordinary sight to see the eyes gradually lose their brilliancy, and exhibit the filmy, lack-lustre-like appearance of death, while the act of exuviation was being accomplished. I may add that the tumbler which held my little captive stood upon a table near a large window, and that the sloughing operation was watched through a powerful hand lens.