Page:The Grammar of Heraldry, Cussans, 1866.djvu/42

28 Couchant.—Lying down, with head erect. Fig. 111.

Dormant.——Asleep, with its head resting between its paws. Fig. 112.



A lion with its tail between its legs is said to be coward; when furnished with two tails, queue fourchée; and if it have no tail, defamed. Two rampant lions, face to face, are said to be combatant; and when placed back to back, addorsed.

If an ordinary should be placed on (or, to speak in proper heraldic terms, over) a lion or other animal, it is debruised by that ordinary. The sub-joined example (Fig. 113) would be blazoned, Ermine, a lion rampant gules, debruised by a bend sinister, argent.

A portion only of a lion may form a charge, as:—

A demi-lion rampant, which is the upper portion of a lion rampant, couped,. or cut, at the shoulder. Fig. 114.

A leg, called in heraldry a jambe.

A paw, which extends only to the first joint.

A head, which may be turned in any of the directions before assigned.

A tail, or queue. The family of Cork bears three lions' tails for arms.