BLAIREAU

It is universally recognised that this name of the animal, as far as the form of the word is concerned, roight be a dim. of Lat. bladarius, or as it would be more to the purpose to say, of Fr. 'blaier [s. Cotgrave; bladier is a méridional form], acorndealer, « marchand de grain qui approvisionne les marchés à dos de mulet. » — H écart. As the E. name, badger, has precisely the same signification, there is a strong presumption that the appellation was really given in the sensé of a Unie corndealer. And Diez is only prevented from accepting this explanation because, as he says, the badger does not lay up a sore of grain. Littré also calls for some intermediary steps to complète the évidence. The wanting link is supplied by a passage of Herrick, which shews that the popular belief of the 1 7th century regarded the badger as a hoarder of grain. And of course a foundation in popular belief is sufficientto justify the dérivation. Herrick is describing the furniture of Oberon's cave, and among the odds and ends with which it is strewed he mentions :

« Some thin Chippings the mice filcht from the bin Of the gray farmer. » — King Oberon's Palace.

The passage would have had no meaning if it had not been a common belief that the badger (or gray, as he was also called) did store up a private bin of corn. It will be remembered that he is personified under the name of Grisard in Reynard the Fox2.