MOULTING, or Molting, the falling off or change of hair, feathers, skins, horns, or other parts of animals, happening in some annually, in others only at certain stages of their life.

The generality of animals moult in the spring. The moulting of a hawk is called mewing. The moulting of a deer is the quitting of its horns in February or March. The moulting of a serpent is the putting off its skin. See Exuviae.