Part 31 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 459.--An eagle's leg erased a la quise.]

Eagles' legs are by no means an infrequent charge. They will usually be found erased at the thigh, for which there is a recognised term ”erased a la quise” (Fig. 459), which, however, is by no means a compulsory one. An eagle's leg so erased was a badge of the house of Stanley. The eagle's leg will sometimes be met with couped below the feathers, but would then be more properly described as a claw.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 460.--Phoenix.]

A curious form of the eagle is found in the _alerion_, which is represented without beak or legs. It is difficult to conjecture what may have been the origin of the bird in this debased form, unless its first beginnings may be taken as a result of the unthinking perpetuation of some crudely drawn example. Its best-known appearance is, of course, in the arms of Loraine; and as Planche has pointed out, this is as perfect an example of a canting anagram as can be met with in armory.

_The Phoenix_ (Fig. 460), one of the few mythical birds which heraldry has familiarised us with, is another, and perhaps the most patent example of all, of the appropriation by heraldic art of an ancient symbol, with its symbolism ready made. It belongs to the period of Grecian mythology. As a charge upon a s.h.i.+eld it is comparatively rare, though it so occurs in the arms of Samuelson. On the other hand, it is frequently to be found as a crest. It is always represented as a demi-eagle issuing from flames of fire, and though the flames of fire will generally be found mentioned in the verbal blazon, this is not essential. Without its fiery surroundings it would cease to be a phoenix. On the other hand, though it is always depicted as a _demi_-bird (no instance to the contrary exists), it is never considered necessary to so specify it. It occurs as the crest of the Seymour family [”Out of a ducal coronet a phoenix issuant from flames of fire”].

PLATE IV.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

_The Osprey_ may perhaps be here mentioned, because its heraldic {241} representation always shows it as a white eagle. It is however seldom met with, though it figures in the crests of Roche (Lord Fermoy) and Trist. The osprey is sometimes known as the sea-eagle, and heraldically so termed.

_The Vulture_ (probably from its repulsive appearance in nature and its equally repulsive habits) is not a heraldic favourite. Two of these birds occur, however, as the supporters of Lord Graves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 461.--Falcon.]

_The Falcon_ (Fig. 461) naturally falls next to the eagle for consideration. Considering the very important part this bird played in the social life of earlier centuries, this cannot be a matter of any surprise.

Heraldry, in its emblazonment, makes no distinction between the appearance of the hawk and the falcon, but for canting and other reasons the bird will be found described by all its different names, _e.g._ in the arms of Hobson, to preserve the obvious pun, the two birds are blazoned as hobbies.

The falcon is frequently (more often than not) found belled. With the slovenliness (or some may exalt it into the virtue of freedom from irritating restriction) characteristic of many matters in heraldic blazon, the simple term ”belled” is found used indiscriminately to signify that the falcon is belled on one leg or belled on both, and if it is belled the bell must of necessity be on a jess. Others state that every falcon must of necessity (whether so blazoned or not) be belled upon at least one leg, and that when the term ”belled” is used it signifies that it is belled upon both legs. There is still yet another alternative, viz. that when ”belled”

it has the bell on only one leg, but that when ”jessed and belled” it is belled on both legs. The jess is the leather thong with which the bells are attached to the leg, and it is generally considered, and this may be accepted, that when the term ”jessed” is included in the wording of the blazon the jesses are represented with the ends flying loose, unless the use of the term is necessitated by the jesses being of a different colour.

When the term ”vervelled” is also employed it signifies that the jesses have small rings attached to the floating ends. In actual practice, however, it should be remembered that if the bells and jesses are of a different colour, the use of the terms ”jessed” and ”belled” is essential.

A falcon is seldom drawn without at least one bell, and when it is found described as ”belled,” in most cases it will be found that the intention is that it shall have two bells.

Like all other birds of prey the falcon may be ”armed,” a technical term which theoretically should include the beak and legs, but in actual {242} practice a falcon will be far more usually found described as ”beaked and legged” when these differ in tincture from its plumage.

When a falcon is blindfolded it is termed ”hooded.” It was always so carried on the wrist until it was flown.

The position of the wings and the confusion in the terms applied thereto is even more marked in the case of the falcon than the eagle.

Demi-falcons are not very frequently met with, but an example occurs in the crest of Jerningham.

A falcon's head is constantly met with as a crest.

When a falcon is represented preying upon anything it is termed ”trussing”

its prey, though sometimes the description ”preying upon” is (perhaps less accurately) employed. Examples of this will be found in the arms of Madden [”Sable, a hawk or, trussing a mallard proper, on a chief of the second a cross botonny gules”], and in the crests of Graham, Cawston, and Yerburgh.

A falcon's leg appears in the crest of Joscelin.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 462.--Pelican in her piety.]

_The Pelican_, with its curious heraldic representation and its strange terms, may almost be considered an instance of the application of the existing name of a bird to an entirely fanciful creation. Mr. G. W. Eve, in his ”Decorative Heraldry,” states that in early representations of the bird it was depicted in a more naturalistic form, but I confess I have not myself met with such an ancient representation.

Heraldically, it has been practically always depicted with the head and body of an eagle, with wings elevated and with the neck embowed, pecking with its beak at its breast. The term for this is ”vulning itself,” and although it appears to be necessary always to describe it in the blazon as ”vulning itself,” it will never be met with save in this position; a pelican's head even, when erased at the neck, being always so represented.

It is supposed to be pecking at its breast to provide drops of blood as nourishment for its young, and it is termed ”in its piety” when depicted standing in its nest and with its brood of young (Fig. 462). It is difficult to imagine how the pelican came to be considered as always existing in this position, because there is nothing in the nature of a natural habit from which this could be derived. There are, however, other birds which, during the brooding season, lose their feathers upon the breast, and some which grow red feathers there, and it is doubtless from this that the idea originated.