auceps (noun Comm) : (cipis, acc. to Vel. Long. Orthogr. p. 2235), contr. for aviceps, from avis-capio
* A bird-catcher, fowler.
* Lit.: Piscator, pistor apstulit, lanii, coqui, Holitores, myropolae, aucupes,Plaut. Trin. 2, 4, 7: veluti merulis intentus decidit auceps In puteum,Hor. A. P. 458: quasi avis de manu aucupis,Vulg. Prov. 6, 5; ib. Jer. 5, 26; ib. Amos, 3, 5: as a bird-seller: Edicit piscator uti, pomarius, auceps,Hor. S. 2, 3, 227: Non avis aucupibus monstrat, quā parte petatur,Ov. A. A. 3, 669 al.
* Trop., a spy, eavesdropper: circumspice dum, ne quis nostro hic auceps sermoni siet,Plaut. Mil. 4, 1, 9 (cf. id. ib. 3, 1, 14: ne quis... nostro consilio venator adsit cum auritis plagis): Numquis hic est alienus nostris dictis auceps auribus,id. Stich. 1, 2, 45: voluptatum auceps, Cic. Ac. Fragm. ap. Aug. contra Ac. 3, 7 (Orell. IV. 2, p. 470): praeco actionum, cantor formularum, auceps syllabarum,a minute and trifling critic, a caviller,id. de Or. 1, 55, 236.

s. TLL