Sewellel / kick-willy / mountain beaver (AHD 4th ed., 2000)

[Dave Robertson]

Klahowya,

Well, after looking at various websites, I can tell you that the sewellel is reputedly the most primitive living rodent on earth; that it's endangered; that it lives only in the Pacific Northwest; and that it's rarely seen by humans.  Below is more interesting linguistic stuff about the animal.  Are any of these terms in the OED, Alan?  --  Dave


>From The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth
                                            Edition.   2000.

                                             sewellel


                     SYLLABICATION:
                                  se·wel·lel
                    PRONUNCIATION:
                                    sE-wel´-El


                            NOUN :
                                  A small, thick-bodied rodent (Aplodontia rufa) of the
                                  Pacific coast of North America, having tiny eyes and
                                  small ears and usually found in communal burrows dug
                                  in the banks of streams. Also called mountain beaver .


                       ETYMOLOGY:
                                  Chinook shwalál, robe of sewellel skins.
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