690 SCIURIDE—SCIURUS 
ing to the Mew Engl. Dict. it first occurs in Topsell, who mentions 
“the draies of squirrels.” 
(Celtic) :—Irish—Feorég (MacBain) ; Jora or Jy (the latter obsolete 
according to C. M. Robertson); Easag or Easog (MacBain); 
“ Cyichdran” (? Craobharan). 
Scottish Gaelic :—Fhedrag or fedrag ; Easag (C. H. Alston). 
Welsh :—Gwzwair (Pennant); or better Gwzwer (Fisher). 
The Celtic names for the squirrel are puzzling and their literal 
translation difficult. The difficulty seems to arise largely from the 
fact that squirrels have, at all times and among all peoples, been often 
confused with martens, weasels, and even with foxes. 
Feérag (with its variants) may be translated as “the little inquisitive 
one”; but if it has been derived from fhzodarag it would signify merely 
a “wood- or tree-animal.” J/ora and zr also indicate the inquisitive 
nature of the animal, and O’Mulrennan (fide Warren, in Harvie-Brown, 
MS.) was inclined to explain feévag as a derivative—/-zorag—/ being 
prefixed, in accordance with the common Celtic practice of prefixing 
f to a word commencing with a vowel, and the diminutive ag being 
suffixed. 
Easag, or easog, is perhaps more properly applicable to mustelines ; 
for in Irish easag is the name of the Stoat, while easag-cram signifies 
the “tree-weasel” or Marten. But no doubt easag has often been used 
for the squirrel and it is used for pheasants as well. 
“ Crichdran” appears in the list of wild animals produced before the 
king at Tara, as the ransom of Finn MacCumhaill, given in a WS. 
poem dating from before A.D. 1000 (see Wilde, Proc. Roy. Ir. Acad, vii., 
181). The word “créchdran” appears to be unknown in either Irish or 
Scottish Gaelic; but James Macpherson (fide Harvie-Brown) thought 
it to be possibly a mis-reading of craobharan or “the tree-animal.” 
Distribution :—This Squirrel is confined to the British Islands, 
where it is common in all wooded localities of Great Britain, except 
only those in which its numbers are kept in check by persecution. 
Where there are no woods it is absent, and it disappeared almost 
from Scotland, and entirely from Ireland. But it soon appears in newly 
planted districts, and has been reintroduced in both the last-named 
countries. It is increasing in the newly wooded districts of Wales, 
where it is common up to 1000 feet (Forrest), and ascends to 1400 feet 
in Aberdeen (Dickie).1 It comes quite close to towns, and may even 
enter public gardens connected with them. 
Its status in England requires no special comment, except as 
regards Cornwall and “Lakeland.” In the former it is stated to be 
extending its range. Although abundant throughout the Truro and 
1 Dickie, Botanists Guide to Aberdeen, Banff, and Kincardine, 1860 ; quoted by 
Harvie-Brown, of. cz¢. infra, 151. 
