''ordinaries'', are geometric constructs such as Cross es and Saltire s. Other charges include:-
The ordinaries are sometimes called ''proper charges'', with other charges being known as ''common charges''. ''Charge'' can also be used as a verb; for example, if an escutcheon bears three Lion s, then it is said to be ''charged with three lions''. It is important to distinguish between Divisions Of The Field and charges, and to note that charges can themselves be charged with a superposed image.
Most armorial achievements include charges, but a few only have a plain Tincture (what would be called "colour" in layman's terms, though the word has a different meaning in heraldry) without any device, or a simple division or pattern of the field. The charges are either in one or more of the tinctures, or ''umbrated'', supposedly represented as a Shadow , though the representation is closest to an outline alone (an example of similar terminology applied to the "shadows" of a charge are the arms of Risoul ,
Hautes Alpes , France ). Even though it can be argued that it is not strictly accurate, charges consisting of an outline of a particular tincture (where a blazon as ''voided'' would not be appropriate) have been blazoned as ''umbreated'' of such-and-such a tincture. This is to be distinguished from "a Silhouette of charge then named ".[http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Fin/15FinanceBattalion.htm]
Charges that were chosen as a pun on the name of the armiger are called " Canting arms", and while this largely 15th and 16th century practice survives, charges are less commonly chosen now for their supposed or actual symbolism than formerly (the lion symbolising courage, for example). Recently granted charges are more likely to be chosen for some connection with the career or interests of the grantee, or for aesthetic purposes. Charges need not have any attached meaning.
When a charge is said to be ''sans'' something, that part is missing; this is most commonly used in the case of animals missing some body part. {Link without Title}
A charge is said to be ''throughout'' when it is shown as touching the edges of the shield when this is not its default position.
Some charges can be ''diminished''; that is, shown smaller than their default size.
The many examples of charges blazoned as ''stylized'' are practically {Link without Title} confined to the heraldry of the United States Army, but this can be open to criticism because it does not necessarily make their appearance clear.
Similarly, there is an example in the heraldry of the United States Air Force of a ''caricatured'' charge. {Link without Title}
In later times there are rare instances of charges "in Perspective ''": normally perspective is ignored in the treatment of charges.
A charge of rectangular form is said to be ''arraswise'' when a corner is in front and two sides are visible. {Link without Title}
Heraldic writers have, somewhat arbitrarily, distinguished between ''honourable ordinaries'' and ''sub-ordinaries''. It is often said that only nine charges are ''honourable ordinaries'', but exactly which nine fit into this category is a subject of disagreement. It is sometimes said that only those ordinaries each of whose widths is one-fifth or more of the total width of the escutcheon is ''honourable''.
Narrower or smaller versions of these ordinaries are called '' Diminutive s''. Many have two diminutives, the first with half the width of the original, and the second with quarter the width of the original.
Several different figures are recognised as honourable ordinaries.
- The '' Chief '' is a horizontal stripe at the top of the field.
- The '' Fess '', a horizontal stripe in the centre of the field.
- The '' Bar '', which is of an indeterminate width, but if borne singly supposed to be slightly thinner than a fess.
- The '' Pale '', a vertical stripe in the centre of the field.
- The '' Bend '' runs from the upper left to the lower right, as , as seen by the viewer.
- The ''bend sinister'' runs from the upper right to the lower left, as .
A chief, fess, or pale occupies one-third of the field; a bar, bend, or bend sinister occupies one-fifth of the field.
- The '' Cross '' is a geometric construction of two perpendicular lines or bands, and is sometimes referred to as the "noblest" of the honourable ordinaries. There are hundreds of variants, including:-
- --- Latin Cross es
- --- Calvary Cross es
- --- the Fillet Cross , which is apparently the same as the ''narrow cross''
- --- The arms of Pope John Paul II show "a Latin cross skewed to dexter throughout", although this cross had been extensively criticised as "unheraldic".
Of these variants, only the "saltire" (a St Andrew's Cross or X -shaped construction) is considered an ordinary in its own right. The size of each depends on whether or not the cross bears another charge; if it is charged, the width is one-third the width of the field, and if it is uncharged, the width is one-fifth the width of the field.
- The '' Chevron '' is a construction shaped like an inverted Letter V
- The '' Pall '' is shaped like the letter Y . (There is a T-shaped charge, the Tau , which is not understood to be an ordinary.)
- The '' Pile '' is a triangle, whose base is along the top of the field, and whose vertex is in the centre of the bottom half of the field.
- The '' Quarter '' is a rectangle occupying the top left quarter of the field, as seen by the viewer.
- The '' Canton '' is a "diminutive" of the quarter, occupying in theory one-ninth of the area of the field, being as deep as the chief, which theoretically occupies one-third of the area of the field, but occupies the dexter third of this.
A quarter or canton on the left side of the field is called a "quarter sinister" or "canton sinister".
Care must be taken in blazoning when two or more ordinaries or subordinaries, or diminutives thereof, are depicted "conjoined".
As well as those mentioned in the above section whose status as honourable ordinaries is disputed, there are several other charges recognised as sub-ordinaries.
- The ''inescutcheon'' is a small shield placed in the centre of the field, and general practice, if not strictly speaking a "rule", suggests that it be the same shape as the shield it is on, though shields of specific shapes are rarely specified. {Link without Title}
- The ''bordure'' is a border touching the edge of the field.
- The ''orle'' is a narrow border within the field. Unlike the bordure, the orle does not touch the edges of the field.
There are several diamond-shaped sub-ordinaries, including the ''lozenge'' and the ''fusil'' (which is thinner and longer than the lozenge).
- If a lozenge is "voided" or empty, it is called a ''mascle''.
- If it appears to have a circular hole within it, it is called a ''rustre''.
- The ''fret'' is an interlaced pattern of a mascle and two diagonal bands.
- The ''gyron'' is a Right Triangle placed in the dexter chief of the field. A gyron is shaped like the lower left half of a canton.
- A ''gyron sinister'' is a similar figure in the sinister chief.
- ''Demi-gyrons'' are in the arms of the Oranjegloed Prmary School . {Link without Title} )
- The ''flanch'', also called the ''flaunch'', is a curved figure (somewhat shaped like a part of a Hyperbola ) that is placed along the dexter or sinister edges of the field. Flanches are always found in pairs, one on either side of the field.
- A ''label'' is a horizontal strap, with a number of pendants suspended therefrom; it is almost invariably used as a cadency mark, but occasionally, and almost invariably in ancient examples, can be a regular charge. The default number of pendants (called ''lambeaux'', ''drops'', or, confusingly, as the ''file'' is also a name for the label itself, ''files'') is three; another number may be specified in the blazon. This is almost invariably a greater number, though there are quite rare examples of two-pointed and even a one-pointed label.
- The ''billet'' is a rectangle. The short sides of the rectangle are at the top and bottom, and the long sides are on the right and left.
- --- a ''billet with ends splayed in three points'' appears in the arms of Khienburg {Link without Title}
- It is important to distinguish the billet from the Delf , a Square charge that when occurring singly and in one of the Stainard Colour s in supposed to be an Abatement .
- The delf is distinguished from the square, which rarely occurs, the arms of Charlottetown , Prince Edward Island , Canada including "a square... joined at each corner with a smaller square Vert".
- A circular ring is called an ''annulet''; a circle is called a ''roundel''. Roundels have different names depending on their tincture. A gold circle is a ''bezant'', a silver circle a ''plate'', a red circle a ''torteau'', a blue circle a ''hurt'', a black circle an ''ogress'' or ''pellet'', a green circle a ''pomme'', a purple circle a ''golpe'', an orange circle an ''orange'', and a blood-red circle a ''guze''. Furthermore, if the circle is ''barry wavy argent and azure'' (so that it appears as blue and white waves), then it is called a ''fountain'' or ''syke''.
Ordinaries have diminutives, or charges of the same pattern but of smaller sizes.
- A charge one-half the size of the ordinary is called a ''closet'' in the case of a bar, a ''pallet'' in the case of a pale, and a ''chevronnel'' in the case of a chevron. (There are occasional mentions of "narrow pallets" and "fillet saltires" thin pallets and saltires but these are not considered to be a diminutive.)[http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?20050220211936A405E900&DN=00000014])
- A charge one-fourth the size of the ordinary is called a ''barrulet'' in the case of a bar, an ''endorse'' in the case of a pale, and a ''couple close'' in the case of a chevron. Cotises, the endorse, and the couple close cannot be borne singly, but must be born on either side of, and close to, the associated ordinary, in which case the ordinary is said to be ''cotised''. An unusual example of cotising ''by eight demi maple leaves'' appears in the arms of the St. Georges Society of Toronto. {Link without Title} In addition, the cross, pile and saltire are occasionally found cotised, but the pieces making up the "cotising" have no independent description.
Bends and bends sinister have another system of nomenclature for their diminutives.
- A stripe half as large as a bend is a ''bendlet'' or ''garter''.
- A stripe a fourth as large as a bend is a ''cotise''.
- A stripe an eighth as large is a ''riband''.
- A stripes half as large as a bend sinister is a ''scarpe''.
- A stripes a fourth as large as a bend sinister is a ''baton''.
- A stripe half the size of a bend, but cut off at the ends (so that it does not reach the corners of the field) is called a ''baton''.
- The equivalent for a bend sinister is a ''baton sinister''.
- One must distinguish this ''baton'' from the type of baton in the arms of The American College Of Heraldry . {Link without Title}
The diminutive of the chief is sometimes stated to be the ''fillet'', but this is a controversial position.
- The fess does not have a diminutive; it is sometimes suggested that bars are diminutives of fesses, but they are most often regarded as honourable ordinaries in their own right.
- A similar situation applies to the quarter and canton, though both the quarter and canton are often considered sub-ordinaries.
Most sub-ordinaries do not have diminutives. Though there are occasional anomalous appearances of "a narrow border", such as in the new arms of South Africa (see below), this is a regular charge.
A label's default number of pendants (called ''lambeaux'', ''drops'', or ''files'': confusingly, as ''file'' is also a name for the whole label) is three; another number may be specified in the blazon. This is almost invariably a greater number, though there are quite rare examples of two-pointed and even a one-pointed label.
- The ''billet'' is a rectangle (the length being twice the width). The short sides of the rectangle are at the top and bottom, and the long sides are on the right and left.
- It is important to distinguish the billet from the Delf , a Square charge that when occurring singly and in one of the Stainard Colour s in supposed to be an Abatement .
- The delf is distinguished from the square, which rarely occurs: the arms of Charlottetown , Prince Edward Island , Canada include "a square ... joined at each corner with a smaller square Vert".)
Common charges include land animals and fish and birds. The heraldic depictions need not, and usually do not, exactly resemble the actual creatures. Mythical creatures used in heraldry are sometimes called "monsters". Inanimate objects are also used; many of them resemble flowers and floral designs.
Though the taboo is not invariably respected, British heraldry in particular, and to a greater or lesser extent the heraldry of other countries, frowns on depictions of God or Christ , though an exception may be in the not-uncommon Continental depictions of Madonna And Child , including the Black Madonna in the arms of Marija Bistrica, Croatia . {Link without Title}
- The Ascension Of St. Mary : on the arms of Breil, Graubünden, Switzerland, {Link without Title} , and [http://www.ngw.nl/int/oos/p/pinggau.htm.
- "the Virgin, St. John the Apostle and St. Mary Magdalene lamenting the body of Christ taken down from the Cross": the arms of Pinggau, Steiermark, Austria] {Link without Title}
- The Devil (or a Demon ) being defeated by an Archangel (probably St. Michael )
- The Devil (or a Demon ), freestanding. This form is far from popular.
- of the United States Air Force .
- The "devil of Chateau-de-Diable": in the arms of the 305th Regiment of the United States Army. {Link without Title}
- Angel s very frequently appear, but angelic beings of higher rank, such as Cherubim and Seraphim , are extremely rare.
- An .
- An Imp : in the arms of the 720th Military Police Battalion of the United States Army. {Link without Title}
- Outside Britain , particular Saint s are the named individuals most often appearing. It may be necessary to know the Attributes Of Saints to be able to accurately blazon the coat.
- John The Baptist usually occurs as a head on a Plate .
Humans may be used as charges, usually as Head s rather than as whole individuals. (Particularly in Europe, the "default" human is almost always depicted as one of European ancestry, though contrary examples can very occasionally be seen. "Humans" so blazoned are rare, though there are some examples.[http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?200502180213337609D608&DN=00000001
- A two-headed figure with one head a man's and one head a woman's: the arms of Di Petris-Fragianni .
- There are also some examples of ''a man'', not more fully described.
However, there are a number of frequently-occurring types of men, usually just as heads.
Generally speaking, there is only one type of Woman (young, beautiful and Blonde , with ''disheveled'' hair, but there are occasional instances of her hair being Braided ), and appearing more often as a ''bust'' than head.
- A Brunette an Eagle 's beak in place of a nose : Elzanowski et Elzanowski-Sepiathere
- A .
- "The upper body of a Xhosa woman": in the arms of Lingelethu {Link without Title} ).
The " Maiden " or "virgin" overlaps with the woman to a large degree. A "maiden in her modesty" is one who is covering her breasts with one arm and her groin with the other hand.
There are rare occurrences of the child, both the head and entire, and (although generally speaking the word "child" is used to mean "boy"): the arms of Frans Bernhard Staal specify a "male child". {Link without Title}
There are a number of appearances of the " Infant "
The American Indian occasionally appears in heraldry though far more often as a supporter than a charge.
- "Sapphire an Indian dressed in his shirt and moccasins, belted proper. In his right hand a bow topaz; in his left, an arrow, its point towards the base. On the dexter side of the Indian's head a star, pearl, for one of the United States of America": the arms of Massachusetts .
- Irregularly, in caricatured form in the arms of the 8th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force . {Link without Title}
- A similar figure is described as an "American": in the arms of Leonhardi )
- An " Battalion of the United States Army . {Link without Title}
- A , Puerto Rico .
- A . {Link without Title}
- The new arms of South Africa are blazoned "Or, representations of two San human figures of red Ochre , Statant Respectant , the hands of the innermost arms clasped, with upper arm, inner wrist, waist and knee bands Argen t, and a narrow border of red ochre". {Link without Title}
- , Italy .
- A 's crest.
- A naked man: in the arms of Dalyell
- There are a number of examples of naked women.
- Men and women of various types and , Morbihan , France])
- Monk s, Nun s and the like.
- A of the United States Air Force . {Link without Title}
- A ''stylized figure in the form of a parachutist'': in the arms of the 509th Infantry Regiment of the United States Army {Link without Title}
- A .
- A , Poland.
- A , Sachsen , Germany.
- A , Oost Vlaanderen , Belgium (now incorporated into Aalst ).
- A , Algeria .
- A Cowboy mounted on a horse appears on the arms of Thomas Gordon Towers. {Link without Title} .
- A .
- A woman scattering corn into 13 furrows on the arms of Juana Diaz , Puerto Rico
- A naked athlete: the arms of Manessy .
- A . {Link without Title}
- A man wearing .
- Two "judo wrestlers": the arms of M.L. Sultan Technical College .
{Link without Title}
In British Heraldry it is highly unusual for there to be a depiction of a particular named individual on the shield.
Humans are standing and ''affronty'' unless otherwise stated, though there are occasional examples of people ''kneeling''. Walking people are sometimes described as ''ambulant''.
Parts of human bodies, in addition to the head, that occur include the Arm , Eye (rarely accompanied by Eyebrow s), Leg and Skull .
- ''a dexter hand appaumé and a maple leaf conjoined'': the arms of Brian Mulroney . {Link without Title}
- . {Link without Title}
- The . {Link without Title}
- .
- Rib bones: in the arms of Mendes da Costa {Link without Title} .
- A . {Link without Title}
- .
- If possible to determine the difference, the "default" is supposed to be a man's, though a woman's arm occurs in the arms of Beyer De Boppard .
- The Hand , as in the blood-soaked severed hand on the Flag Of Ulster .
- The Heart , even when blazoned "a human heart", always appears like the heart in a deck of cards rather than a natural human heart.
- A "dug" or woman's Breast "distilling drops of Milk ", famously appears in the arms of the Dodge family, and appeared for a time on the badge of cars made by the Dodge Automotive company. [http://www.users.qwest.net/~hrellis/Dodge.htm
- There are some Continental appearances of the Beard .
- , Istria County, Croatia . {Link without Title}
- Kidney s with their ducts: the Urological Association of South Africa's arms.
- bore "per fess argent and gules, three pairs of Testicle s counterchanged". {Link without Title}
Except the Griffin , beasts in heraldry are male unless otherwise specified.
- The most common beast used in heraldry is perhaps the lion.
- Other common beasts include the Tiger (if not otherwise described, depicted in a typically heraldic, rather than the natural, form)
(A "tiger of Ussouri": the arms of the Jewish Autonomous Region
"Fish" are sometimes only described as "a fish", but commonly-found types include:-
- Burt ,
- The Catfish appears in the arms of Karl Freiherr Auer Von Welsbach . {Link without Title}
- Borough Council),
- The Coelacanth appears in the arms of Arcadia School in East London, South Africa. {Link without Title}
- Dolphin (though it is not, in scientific terms, fish),
- Eel
- Ged (= Pike ),
- lucy (= Perch ),
- Roach
- Salmon (there is at least one occurrence of an " Atlantic Salmon "),
- and Herring .
- The " Seahorse " is depicted as one of those pulling Neptune's chariot, and if the natural seahorse is to be depicted it is blazoned as a "seahorse (hippocampus)".
- The Shark is rare in the extreme.
- The Swordfish appears in the arms of Snyders.
- There are occasional appearances of the Trout .
- The Whale (again, defined as a fish though in science it is a Mammal ) rarely appears
- The Ichthus symbol appears in the arms of the Ecclesiastical Province Of Canada . {Link without Title}
- Fishbones appear in the arms of Bordes (des) de Chalendray.
- The '' Escallop '' (scallop shell) is one of the most frequent charges
- Mussel s appear in the arms of Musselburgh in Scotland.
- The Proteus appears in a 1909 grant to Postojna, now Slovenia.
- The Sand Dollar appears in the arms of Michaëlle Jean .
- Oyster shell, in which a Pearl sometimes appears. {Link without Title}
- Whelk shell
- A Trilobite appears in the Dudley coat of arms.
There are rare examples of a "bird," not more specifically named. {Link without Title}
Oft-used birds include the eagle (sometimes having two heads, and there is at least one example of a three-headed eagle {Link without Title} ),
- The Allerion is an eagle with expanded wings, the points turned downwards, and without beak or feet.
- Canary (apparently one use only): {Link without Title}
- Cardinal : was a later immigrant from the New World
- )
- Cormorant
- Crane
- Dove ,
- Duck : sometimes appears
- Duck without beak or legs
- Duckling s: the arms of Steynsrus, South Africa. {Link without Title}
- Emu : the arms of Toowoomba, Australia.
- Falcon
- --- the {Link without Title}
- Flamingo appears, rarely, in South-African heraldry.
- Finch : more rarely.
- The generic Goose
- --- The "Magellan-goose": in the arms of Ashfield, {Link without Title}
- --- Canada Goose : almost invariably in Canada
- {Link without Title}
- Gull or Seagull
- Heron
- ;
- Knysna Lourie (apparently one use only): {Link without Title}
- Kookaburra : Australia.
- bore "Or, three magpies sable" at Falkirk .
- Martlet : common, is a mythiclal bird without legs.
- Merlette (used almost exclusively in France)
- North American Kingfisher : was a later immigrant from the New World
- Osprey : almost invariably depicted simply as an eagle ''argent''
- Ostrich ,
- Owl
- Peacock ,
- Popinjay (parrot).
- of the United States Army {Link without Title}
- Puffin (apparently one use only)
- , a symbol of the Naden River People of the Haida Indians in the arms of Esquimalt , British Columbia , Canada),
- three heads of a Redhead ( Aythya Americana ) drake: the arms of Thomas A. Hickey''''. {Link without Title}
- Secretary Bird .
- Stork
- Swallow
- Swan
- White-tailed Tropic Bird : the arms of Colin Fleming
- Turkey Cock : was a later immigrant from the New World
- Egg : rarely ( {Link without Title} )
- see below for an example of "duck eggs".
- An example of "a vertical section of an egg". {Link without Title}
Insects include:-
- Bee ( Beehives also sometimes occur, usually in the natural form, though that in the arms of Marquion, Pas de Calais, France was at least once depicted as of a man-made type ).
- Dragonfly
- Grasshopper
- Butterfly
- Ant (rather rarely)
- Fly (rather rarely)
- Anthill : in the arms of Bertrand.
- Stag Beetle s, appropriately, appear in the arms of Sir George Martin . {Link without Title}
- In heraldry the Spider is considered an insect, and there are a few examples.
- A "caricatured" Mosquito : in the arms of the 6147th Tactical Control Group, {Link without Title}
- of the United States Air Force . {Link without Title}
- Snail (rarely called "house snail," supposedly to disntinguish from Slug ),
- Worm : very rare
Several mythical creatures are also used as charges.
- s" in the wings may be specified. {Link without Title} )
- Wyvern : similar to a dragon, but with only two legs.
- These pre-date the appearance of several types of Oriental dragons including:-
- The generally-described "Chinese dragon"
- --- The Three-clawed Dragon , granted in Europe and Canada for those with some connexion to China ,
- --- The Imperial Chinese Dragon . {Link without Title}
- Another Chinese monster, the Qilin : in the arms of Captain Benjamin Lee. {Link without Title}
- Mermaid : not infrequently.
- )
- Unicorn
- Sphinx : not depicted in the familiar way, but with the head and breasts of a woman.
- Many of the other monsters are compound creatures.
- A simple example is the Griffin , combining the head (but with ears), chest, wings and forelegs of the eagle with the hindquarters and legs of a lion (the ''male griffin'' lacks wings and his body is scattered with spikes); there is at least one example of the double-headed griffin.
( The arms of Magdalensberg, Kärnten, Austria show a specific ancient statue of a griffin.)
- The Hippogriff is like the griffin except that the lion parts of the griffin are replaced by those of a horse.
- The Pegasus is a winged horse.
- The sea-lion is a combination of a lion and a fish.
- A half-eagle, half-tiger (an eagle '' Dimidated '' with a tiger) creature figured in the arms granted to Fernando de Tapia. {Link without Title}
- In Canada compound creatures such as the Raven-bear and Raven-wolf appear.
Parts of creatures may also be used as charges.
The most frequent parts used as charges are the head, the ''gamb'' (or limb) and the paw.
- If the part is ''erased'', then it is depicted with ragged edges, as if it had been ripped from the animal's body.
- If the part is ''couped'', then it is depicted with a straight edge, as if it were neatly severed.
- ''demi'' (as in, for instance, ''demi-lion'') means that the upper half of an animal alone is to be shown.
- If an animal is shown in its entirety, but with the head, tail and limbs separated from the body, it is said to be ''dismembered''.
- The terms applied to the head vary; if shown full-faced and without the neck showing, the heads of deer-like animals, and the bull, are termed "caboshed", and the arms of Alexander L. Purves show an application of this term to the head of the Chinese dragon. {Link without Title}
- Elephant Tusk s frequently appear
- A "boar's tooth" appears in the arms of the Orange Free State Amateur Athletic Association ,[http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm30ddf0?20050224171646C569AA00&DN=00000020
- Wolves' teeth in the arms of Zemby.
The position, or ''attitude'', of the creature's body is also described.
- An animal engaged in battle (shown with one hind paw on the ground and three paws in the air) is called ''rampant'' (except the griffin, for whom the term ''segreant'' must be used);
- one that is walking (shown with one forepaw in the air and three paws on the ground) is ''passant''. ---A rare example of ''passant'' applied to the bird is to the flamingo in the arms of the Kuisebmond Second School, Walvis Bay, {Link without Title}
- The flamingo and kiwi[http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/resources/jmichaelphillips.htm have also been blazoned stantant.
- There is even an example in the heraldry of the United States Air Force of "two boots passant", {Link without Title} though this is incorrect as "passant" can be applied only to beasts and, rarely, some types of birds, and not inanimate objects.)
- Animals with all four paws on the ground are ''statant'' (standing).
- Beasts of prey, and horses, running are ''courant'' (they are shown with both forelimbs and both hind limbs together), though the arms of Iberia show a horse ''in full gallop''. {Link without Title}
- The bear, apparently uniquely, can walk on its hind legs.
- If the animal is sitting, the term ''sejant'' is employed, and if sitting with the front paws raised in the air, ''sejant erect''.
- Animals with the two hind paws on the ground and the two forepaws in the air are ''salient'' (jumping).
- (There is at least one case of ''leaping'' being distinguished.) {Link without Title}
- An animal is ''couchant'' if it is laying down, and ''dormant'' if it is sleeping (with its head lowered).
- The term ''clymant'' is almost exclusively applied to the goat, but there are instances of its application to:-
- --- The unicorn {Link without Title}
- --- The pegasus. {Link without Title}
- A very rare term, ''pascuant'', is applied to a quadruped when Grazing .
- A bull "storming": The arms of the Erasmus Family Association {Link without Title}
- "a crouching panther, tail elevated": the arms of the 31st Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army show . {Link without Title}
- If the tongue of the animal is of a different tincture, it is said to be ''langued'' of such-and-such a tincture, though it is not necessary to specify that a lion is "langued gules" as this is the default unless it is charged on gules, in which case the default is azure.
- --- The arms of the 345th Quartermaster Battalion of the United States Army provide a unique example in which a Cottonmouth is ''langued with a thunderbird Gules''. {Link without Title}
- If the eyes of the animal are of a different tincture, it is said to be ''eyed'' of such-and-such a tincture, and the arms of the 83d Chemical Battalion of the U.S. Army show a rare example in which the tincture of the Pupil is specified.
- If the Penis of the animal is of a different tincture than the rest, it is said to be ''pizzled'' of such-and-such a tincture.
By default, the charge faces the left, as seen by the viewer.
- The head of an animal ''guardant'' faces the viewer,
- The head of an animal ''reguardant'' faces the right, as seen by the viewer.
- It is extremely unusual for the head to be described as ''in trian aspect'' (or three-quarters profile). {Link without Title}
- There are several positional descriptions unique to the lion, which appears to be the only creature that can be ''stantant with tail extended'', though other animals have been known to have their tails "erect".
- A "lion with a dragon's tail" {Link without Title} can be seen in the arms of Christopher Sterling Tod Mackie.
- The Chinese dragon in the arms of Dr. Richard Gordon Num is ''torqued''. {Link without Title}
Entirely different terms are used for stags and other deer-like creatures.
''Trippant'' is used instead of ''passant'', ''at bay'' instead of ''statant'', ''at gaze'' instead of ''statant guardant'', ''springing'' instead of ''salient'' and ''lodged'' instead of ''couchant''.
- The serpent is said to be ''nowed'' if tied in a Knot .
- The snake is sometimes found in a circle with its tail in its mouth, which position in French heraldry sometimes makes it an ''ouroboros''.
- If gliding along, the serpent is ''glissant'', though the arms of the 37th Armor Of The United States Army give an example of a Wyvern (sans legs) glissant. {Link without Title}
- The rattlesnake, uniquely, can be described as ''coiled to strike''.
Fish also use a different terminology.
- A straight horizontal fish is ''naiant'',
- and an arched horizontal fish is ''embowed''.
- If the fish is vertical, and its head faces upwards, it is ''hauriant'';
- if its head faces downwards, the fish is ''uriant''.
The terminology for birds is based on the position of the wings.
- If a bird faces the viewer, with the head turned to one side, and the wings spread apart on either side, the bird is ''displayed''.
- If the bird is not shown facing the viewer, and the wings are shown spread apart, the bird is ''volant'' (flying);
- If the wings are shown folded, the bird is ''trussed'', ''close'' or ''perched''.
- (The attitude "volant" is also sometimes applied to aircraft.)
- (Owls ''volant affronty'' appear in the arms of Sir Christopher Frayling {Link without Title} )
- {An owl ''affronty hovering'' appears in the arms of Jules Léger .)
- If the bird's head faces upward, the bird is ''rising'' or ''rousant'' (about to take flight).
- Swans and ducks are very occasionally found ''naiant'' (= swimming). {Link without Title}
- There are several examples of crowing Cocks .
Plant s are extremely common in heraldry and figure among the earliest charges.
(The colonial-era arms of Tlemcen, Algeria are unusual in that they contain generic "plants".) The Turnip , for instance, makes an early appearance, as does Wheat .
When the fruit of a Tree , branch, or the like is mentioned, as it generally will only be if it is of a different tincture, it is said to be ''fructed'' of the tincture.
The arms of the French family of Fenoyer provide a perhaps unique example in which the number of "pieces" of the "fructed" is stated.
- Wheat constantly occurs in the form of "garbs" or sheaves (and in fields in the arms of the province of Alberta and elsewhere), though less often as ears), though most often they are shown in stylised form.
- --- Bearded Wheat ears are distinguished in the arms of the 469th Support Battalion of the United States Army
- Ears of Rye are depicted exactly as wheat, except the ears droop down.
- "Ginny wheat" (like wheat but with a fatter ear) also exists.
- There are very few examples of Barley , Maize and Oat s.
The most famous heraldic flower is the '' are also distinguished from these).
- ''trefoil'' (with three petals),
- ''quatrefoil'' (with four petals),
- ''cinquefoil'' (with five petals),
- ''sexfoil'' (with six petals);
- The ''septfoil'' (with seven petals) appears in the arms of the 63rd Armor of the United States Army. {Link without Title}
- The ''double quatrefoil'' (with eight petals) is in England the seldom if ever seen cadency mark of the ninth son.
- Less frequently used flowers include the flower of the , the Tulip and the Hydrangea (as in the arms of Rueil Malmaison ).
- The '' Althaea blossom'' appears in the arms of the 228th Support Battalion of the United States Army. {Link without Title}
- Sprigs of Lavender occur in the arms of the Mitcham Borough Council ; Cranberry flowers in the arms of Besenbüren , Aargau, Switzerland.
(Tulip bulbs appear in the arms of Fressal.)
Trees are sometimes merely blazoned as "a tree" but specific trees are mentioned in blazon.
- Far and away the most frequently occurring is the Oak .
- A close second is the Pine .
- --- " Pineapples " refer anciently and much more often to the cone rather than the tropical fruit.
Members of the pine family such as:-
- The Fir ,
- {Link without Title} .
- There is at least one appearance of the Almond . {Link without Title}
- The Beech , Birch , the Elm , the Poplar , Willow , Alder , Box Tree , Coconut Tree and the Palm also appear.
- The of Alijó in Portugal) as does the Hazel .
- in Portugal . {Link without Title}
- , Australia, since incorporated into Charles Stuart City . {Link without Title}
- Juniper appears at least once.
- Laurel Tree s occur, as do Olive , but in both cases less frequently than their branches.
- A Milkwood Tree appears in the arms of the former Republic of Ciskei . {Link without Title}
- Palm branches very frequently occur but are blazoned as appearing in a "stylized" form in the arms of Éragny Sur Oise in Val D'Oise .
- In addition to the much more frequent appearance of its fruit, the Pomegranate tree appears in a stylized form in the arms of the Chesterfield Borough Council .
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- The , Azambuja , Lisboa , Portugal .
- A monstrous tree ending in two hands cradling a town: the arms of Fosses , in Val d'Oise
- The China Cokar Tree is another kind of "monster tree".
- "A . {Link without Title}
- A small group of trees is blazoned as a "hurst", which is distinguished from a Forest .
- "A
- The , Colombia . {Link without Title}
- In Portuguese heraldry but rarely in the heraldry of other countries trees are sometimes found Decorticated .
- The Aloe plant: in the arms of the North-Eastern Transvaal Tennis Association.
- Bobactitli : in the arms of Gonzalo Tecpanecate, Francisco de Mendoza. {Link without Title}
- Bush es: in the arms of Lionel Camps Perezfarras
- The in Ontario , Canada .
- A in South Africa.
- The Maple usually occurs only in the form of leaves (and occasionally seeds) {Link without Title}
- There are a few occurrences of the Tobacco Leaf and plant. {Link without Title}
- Nut s are sometimes blazoned simply as "nuts" (depicted like the Walnut )though the most frequently occurring nut is the Acorn , often cracked by a squirrel, and constantly in conjunction with the oak.
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