Even in heraldry, the home of much that is marvellous and unnatural, the bird forms depart but little from natural types, and the only instance to the contrary that occurs to us is the well-known Martlet, used not only as "a charge" in blazonry, but also as a mark of cadency to distinguish the arms of contemporary brothers in the same family or to identify different branches of the same family connection.*
The martlet is very similar in form to a swallow, but
is always represented as without feet, while the French
heralds also deprive it of beak. A good early example
of its use may be seen in the arms of William de Valence,
emblazoned on his shield at Westminster, and dating from
the year 1296 ; later instances of its employment are so
common that it is hardly worth while to particularise any
he martlet, according to Gwillim,
on heraldry, " hath leggs exceeding
y no means go : and therefore it
do call them Apades, quasi sine
they do want feet, but because
of their feet as other birds have.
fall upon the ground, they cannot
their feet as others do, and so
means of the support of the Air. Hereupon it came that this Bird is painted in Arms without feet : and for this cause it is also given as a difference of younger Brethren, to put them in mind to trust to their wings of vertue and merit to raise themselves, and not to their leggs, having little Land to set their foot on."
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