GAELIC NAMES 35 



observation, should have left so little trace of 

 its former presence in Scotland. In such Gaelic 

 literature as is left to us, in song, folk-tales or 

 living tradition, reference to it seems to be 

 absolutely wanting. It is true that there are 

 said to be traditions as to its existence ; but on 

 examination these do not seem to be very satis- 

 factory. We are told that it has left its name, 

 Los-leathan or Dobhran los-leathan y the broad- 

 tailed otter ; and Stuart x says that it has left its 

 radical Gaelic name, Dobhar-chu, the water- 

 dog ; but we are not told where the first- 

 mentioned Gaelic name, Los-leathan is to be 

 found ; it certainly would seem to point to 

 the beaver. Dobhar-chu, on the other hand 

 literally water-dog appears equally applicable 

 to the otter, or rather more so, for the 

 otter is certainly more dog-like than the 

 beaver. 



The Rev. George Calder of Strathfillan, 

 an acknowledged authority, writes to me 

 that Leas-leathan is given in the Highland 

 Society's Dictionary as * beaver,' and los as 

 rarely meaning tail by Armstrong ; that loss, as 

 meaning tail, is not infrequent in old Irish. 

 He goes on to say that 'out of dictionaries 

 one seems to get some gleanings ; but in the 



1 Lay s of the Deer Forest. 



