Obs. rare. Also 6 easalon. Misspelling of Lat. æsalon [ad. Gr. αἰσάλων], the name of a bird of prey, ‘the rust-kite or moor-buzzard’ (Lewis and Short), ‘the merlin’ (Liddell and Scott); in context of first quot. it is said to be the smallest of the buzzard kind.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, III. 27. Enemye to them [Ravens], is a lyttle Byrde, called Easalon, which breaketh theire egges.
1651. J. F[reake], Agrippa’s Occ. Philos., 40. There is … a bitter enmity betwixt the litle bird called Esalon, and the Asse.
