\Myg"a*le\, n. [L., a field mouse, Gr. ?.] (Zo["o]l.)
A genus of very large hairy spiders having four lungs and
only four spinnerets. They do not spin webs, but usually
construct tubes in the earth, which are often furnished with
a trapdoor. The South American bird spider ({Mygale
avicularia}), and the crab spider, or matoutou ({M.
cancerides}) are among the largest species. Some of the
species are erroneously called tarantulas, as the Texas
tarantula ({M. Hentzii}).