- From the Abenaki name for the animal, moskwas. (Wiktionary) -
Perhaps of Massachusett origin; akin to Western Abenaki mòskwas.
(American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition) “Twice or thrice pinnate leaves, toothed like a tenon
saw, with conspicuous veins ending in the notches, brand it as
the beaver poison, otherwise known as the musquash root and
spotted cowbane.” “The musquash, however, as near as I could
see, did not turn aside, though he may have hesitated a little,
and the Indian said that he saw our fire; but it was evident
that he was in the habit of calling the musquash to him, as he
said.” “An acquaintance of mine who was hunting moose in the
woods a month after this, tells me that his Indian in this way
repeatedly called the musquash within reach of his paddle in the
moonlight, and struck at them.” “The musk-rat, _Fiber
zibethecus_, sometimes called musquash from the Algonquin word,
_m8sk8éss8_, is found in three varieties, the black, and rarely
the pied and white.” “Jimm