I am witnessing not the mere removal of leggings from limbs already clad in finished armour, but a kind of creation which amazes one by its promptitude.
Very much in the same way, but with far less delicate precision, the claws of the crayfish, at the period of the moult, withdraw the soft flesh of their double fingers from their stony sheath.
Finally the long stilt-like legs are free.

They are folded gently against the furrowed thighs, thus to mature undisturbed.

The abdomen begins to emerge.

Its fine tunic-like covering splits, and wrinkles, but still encloses the extremity of the abdomen, which adheres to the moulted skin for some little time longer.

With the exception of this one point the entire insect is now uncovered.
It hangs head downwards, like a pendulum, supported by the talons of the now empty leg-cases.