"Biche, a hind; the female of a stagge." (Cotgrave.)
Pollard was applied to a beast or stag that had lost its horns—
"He has no horns, sir, has he?
"No, sir, he's a pollard."
(Beaumont and Fletcher, Philaster, v. 4.)
Leverett is certified by the French surname Levrault. Derivation from Lever, Anglo-Sax. Leofhere, whence Levers, Leverson, or Leveson, is much less probable, as these Anglo-Saxon names rarely form dims. (Chapter VII). Luttrel is in French Loutrel, perhaps a dim. of loutre, otter, Lat. lutra. From the medieval lutrer or lutrarius, otter hunter, we get Lutterer, no doubt confused with the musical Luter.
While Catt is fairly common in the eastern counties, Robertus le chien and Willelmus le curre, who were living about the end of the twelfth century, are now completely disguised as Ken and Kerr. Modern French has both Lechien and the Norman Lequien. [Footnote: Lekain, the name of a famous French actor, has the same origin.] We owe a few other surnames to the friend of man. Kennett, from a Norman dim. of chien, meant greyhound—
"Kenette, hounde, leporarius." (Prompt. Parv.)
The origin of the name Talbot is unknown, and it is uncertain whether the hound or the family should have precedence; but Chaucer seems to use it as the proper name of a hound
"Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland,
And Malkyn, with a dystaf in hir hand."
(B, 4573.)