I.of or belonging to flies, fly- (post-Aug.).
I. Adj.: “aranei muscarii tela,” i. e. fly-hunting, Plin. 29, 6, 38, § 131: “clavus,” a broad-headed nail, Vitr. 7, 3, 11.—Hence,
II. Subst.: muscā-rĭum , ii, n., a fly-flap, fly-brush, used also as a clothes-brush, made of peacocks' tails, Mart. 14, 67 in lemm.; or hairy ox-tails, id. 14, 71 in lemm.; or horse-tails, Veg. Vet. 4, 1.—
B. Transf.
1. The hairy or fibrous part of plants, the umbel: “semine in muscariis dependente,” Plin. 12, 26, 57, § 127.—
2. A closet or safe, in which writings were kept to protect them from the flies, Inscr. Rom. Viagg. a Pompeii, p. 168.