Sea horse

Sea-horse

Sea-horse: this monstrosity is in heraldic drawing represented by the upper part, i.e. head and fore-legs of a horse joined to the tail of a fish, which is twisted back, as shewn in the illustration; at the same time when correctly drawn the legs terminate in slightly webbed feet instead of in hoofs. Further a scalloped fin is substituted for the mane, and is continued down the back. Besides appearing as supporters to the insignia of the towns of Cambridge and of Ipswich, sea-horses appear in the following coats of arms.

Argent, in a sea vert a sea-horse issuing rampant proper--ECKFORD, Scotland.

Azure, a chevron between three sea-horses or--TUCKER, of Milton, Kent.

Barry wavy argent and azure; on a chevron crenelly or, between three sea-horses silver, finned and unguled of the third, seven gouttes-de-poix--TUCKER, co. Devon.

Azure, four bars argent between three sea-horses or; over all on a chevron crenelly of the last five gouttes-de-poix--TOOKER.

Per pale or and azure; on the dexter compartment a tower gules, and on the sinister on a mount vert a sea-horse argent, mane, fins, and tail of the first; on a chief gold three mullets of the second--GARRICK, Middlesex.

Argent, on a fesse gules between three sea-horses sable a cross crosslet fitchy between two trefoils slipped of the first--NORDEN, Kent.

Barry of six argent and azure; surtout three sea-horses naiant or--William GLYNN, Bp. of Bangor, 1555-58.

Chequy argent and gules, a lion rampant gardant or; on a chief of augmentation wavy azure a sea-horse naiant proper between two Eastern coronets or, and above the word "Havannah"--POCOCK, co. Durham, Bart.

Similar to this is the sea-lion(or as it is sometimes called from the French lion poisson). is which the upper part is that of a lion, the lower that of the body and tail of a fish. The mane is sometimes also represented crested or escalloped. Besides occurring as as the supporters of the arms of Viscount FALMOUTH, it appears in the following coats of arms.

Argent, a sea-lion couchant azure, crowned, armed and langued gules--SILVESTER.

Azure, a bridge of three arches embattled at top in fesse argent, masoned sable, between three sea-lions passant or--BRIDGEN, Lord Mayor of London, 1764.

Or, on a bend wavy between two sea-lions sable three buck's heads caboshed argent--Sir Robert HARLAND, Bart., Orwell Park, Suffolk. [A sea-lion supporting an anchor, crest of the same.]

The sea-dragon is also to be classed amongst monstrosities, though it has been suggested it is intended for the conger-eel, and thus the heads in the insignia of KING'S LYNN have been blazoned 'dragon's heads.' Again, when the term occurs in the blazon of the crest of Sir Jacob GERRARD, Bart., 1662, it is said to be a wyvern.

Per chevron gules and or; three sea-dragons ducally crowned counterchanged--EASTON, co. Devon.

The sea-dog is still more uncertain. It has been suggested that the device is intended for a crocodile, but this results only from had drawing. With better reason it is suggested to be a fanciful representation of the otter: but like all monstrosities the origin must be looked for in the imagination of the draughtsman rather than in the realm of nature. It is drawn like a talbot, with the whole body scaled, and the tail of a beaver. The feet are webbed and the back scalloped like that of a sea-horse.

Argent, three demi dea-dogs passant in pale sable--JESSE.

Per fesse nebuly ... and ... three sea-dogs passant counterchanged--HARRIS, Cornwall.

[Baron STOURTON has two such animals, sable, scaled or, for his supporters.]

The sea-wolf also belongs to the same category, and this has been supported only to be the seal.

Argent, a chevron engrailed gules between three marine wolves(or sea-dogs) naiant sable finned, ventred, and dented of the first, langued of the second--FENNOR, Sussex; granted 10 November, 1557.

It should be added that the French treat several land animals in this manner by adding the tails of fish to them, and they have a special term to signify the same, viz. mariné.