PURSE-CRAB, Dirges, a genus of of the order decapoda, and sub-order anomoura (see CitAn), allied to hermit-crabs (q.v.), but having the abdomen or tail shorter and almost orbicular, its under surface soft and membranous, its upper surface covered with strong plates, which overlap one another as in lobsters. The first pair of legs have large and powerful pincers; the pair of legs nearest the abdomen are very small, but terminated by rudimentary pincers; the pair next to them larger, with small pincers; the second and third pair of legs are terminated by a single nail. A species of purse-crab (B. latro) is found in Mauritius and in the more eastern islands of the Indian ocean. It is one of the largest of crustaceans, sometimes two or three feet in length when fully stretched out, and capable of erecting itself to the height of a foot from the ground, which it readily does if irritated, retreating backward, and exhibiting to the ut most its powers of offense or defense. It is of a yellowish-brown color, its limbs covered with little blackish projections. It is never found far from the sea, to which it is said
to ply visits, in order to moisten its gills; but it resides on land, and often in holes under the roots of trees, where it accumulates great quantities of the. fibers of the cocoa-nut husk, as if to keep itself warm, or for a soft bed. The Malays rob these stores to supply themselves with junk. The gills of the purse-crab are contained in a very large cavity, of which they fill only a very-small part. Its food consists of cocoa-nuts and other nuts, which it climbs trees to procure. Its manner of dealing with a cocoa-nut is described as exhibiting a remarkable instinct, as it always begins to tear off the husk at the end where the eyes are. It is variously stated that it makes a hole through the eye from which the nut would germinate, and then scoops nut the nut with the small pincers of its fourth pair of legs; and that having made this hole, it seizes floe nut by one of its great pincers, and breaks it against a stone. Both statements may perhaps he true.