>German Eich-horn "oak-horn", regularly **eixorn-.
As well as Eichkatzl, Eichkätzchen ("oak-cat", "oak-kitten"),
or, in Bavarian Oachkotzl.
>>also have a long tail).
BTW, Oachkotzlschwoaf (Eichkatzlschweif; Schweif "tail").
>How about this:
>*wewr- -> *werr-,
>German
>wirr "confused"
>verwirren "confuse",
>Wirre "confusion; strife, skirmish"
Schwirr and schwirren would better fit to a squirrel, both as
far as the (a) swiftness of the movements and (b) the sounds
are concerned (e.g. when the squirrel runs on a thick "carpet"
of dry fallen leaves). Compare with figurative "schwirrende Gerüchte"
as well as other words, such as Schwirrvogel = Kolibri.
And
der Schwirl "ein Singvogel, Locustelle"
Schwirrfliege = Schwebfliege
Schwirrflug "das Fliegen an Ort und Stelle"
Schwirrholz "ein an einer Schnur über dem Kopf herum-
geschwungenes Stück Holz, das dabei einen brummenden
Laut hören läßt (Geisterstimme), ein altertümliches Kultgerät".
Also perhaps: schwirbeln, (Ge)Schwurbel.
George