MOULMEIN', a t. in the province of Tenasserim, British Burmah, situated on the gulf of Itlartaban, in the e. of the bay of Bengal, at the junction of the rivers Salween, Gyne, and Attaran, in 16° 29' n. lat.. and 97° 38' e. long. Moulmein, one of the healthiest stations in India, is a pretty specimen of an eastern town. It is divided into five dis tricts, each of which is under a goung or native head of police. The streets are, for the most part, shaded with trees, principally of the acacia tribe, and the glossy jack is often seen half coveriastaiiiitiVe•licitise, its great fruit, 'as largd its a child's-lead, ripening in the sun. The principal street, about 3 rn. in length, runs due n, and s., and parallel with the river Salween. The native houses are constructed in the usual Burman style of bamboo, and a thatch made of the leaf of the water-palm. All are raised ou piles, according to the universal custom of the country. Men walk about with the gran paper chattah, or Chinese umbrella, used throughout the provinces; the gharei, or India cab. dashes along, the attendant imp reveling in heat and dust.
Moulmein is wicked by a fine range of hills, on whose heights flash the gilded spires of innumerable pagodas; and here, too, are built many pretty residences, commanding a tine view of the town, river, and adjacent country, which for picturesque beauty and varied scenery has few equals. boasts various churches, chapels, and mis sienary establishments, several charitable and educational institutions, substantial bar racks, a general hospital, public library, etc. Vessels drawing 10 ft. of water can come up to Moulmein under charge of pilots from Amherst, and at spring-tide ships of any tonnage may reach the town. The rise and fall of the water is at that time from 20 to 23 feet. The population of Moulmein is steadily, if slowly, on the increase. In 1850 it was 43,683; in 1872, it had reached 40,242. Of these, divided according to their relig ion, about 27,000 were Buddhists, 11,000 Hindus, 6,000 Mussulmans, and 2,000 Chris tians. The mean temperature of Moulmein for the year 1872 was 78°—the highest being 00° in April, and the lowest 61° in Jan. As to nationality, besides the Burmans proper, the inhabitants of Moulmein include Eurasians or half-castes, Taliens, Chinese, Shays, Karel's, Armenians, Jews, Malays, and natives of Hindustan.
Moulmein posses.;es great facilites for ship-building, and many fine vessels have lately been constructed in the building-yards of Tavoyzoo and Mopoon. The principal exports
from are teak-timber and rice; the imports consist of general merchandise, chiefly piece-goods, hardware, provisions, and sundries.
See The Tenasserim and Marta-ban Directory; Winter's Sic Months in British Burmali (LonclOn, 1S5S); Marshall's l'our Years in Minnick (London, 1860); Blue-Books.
TilOITLTING is the term applied by naturalists to the periodical exuviation, or throwing off of certain structures, which are for the most part of an epithelial or epidermic char acter. Thus, in a considerable number of the articulata the external covering is thrown off and replaced many times during life. In some of the minute entomostracous erus tacea of our pools, a process of moulting, similar to that which occurs in crabs and lobsters, occurs every two or three clays, even when the animals seem to have attained their full growth. In the crabs, in which the proceSs has been carefully observed, the e•uvittni, or cast-off shell, consists not only of the entire external covering, including even the faceted membrane which forms the anterior coat of the compound eyes, but also carries with it the lining membrane of the stomach, and the plates to which the muscles are attached. During growth this moulting takes place as often as the body becomes too large for the shell; and after the animal has attained its full size it is found to occur at least once a year, at the reproductive season. During the early growth of insects, spiders, centipedes, etc., a similar moult is frequently repeated at short intervals, but after they have attained their full size no further moulting takes place. In the rertebrata we have examples of as complete a and replacement of new skin, among frogs and serpents as occurs in the articulata, the hole epidertnis being thrown off at least once, and, in "Pe instances, several times yearly. In birds the feathers are periodically cast off cat d renewed; in mammals hair is regularly shed at certain periods of the year; and in the (leer tribe the casting off and renewal of the antlers must be regarded as a special example of moulting. In man the continual exuviation of the outer layers of the epidermis is a process analogous to that which takes place on a more general scale in the lower animals.