REPTILES, INSECTS, AND MONSTEItS. - Reptiles and Insects are charges rarely seen in early coats.

The Serpent is the bearing of the Visconti, dukes of Milan : urgent, a serpent gliding in pale azure, crowned or, vorant an infant issuan t gales.

The Snake or bisse, anguis.

Sir Wm. de Malbisse: three testes de bysses.

The usual bearing of the name of Vaughan in S. Wales is azure, three boys' heads eouped at the bust argent, wt eatlmd about the neck with a snake proper. Bottreaux: argent, three toads (botraces) elect sable.

The Fly, musea. - Musehamp of Woolcr bore argent, a chevron vert between three flies. This bearing is seen on a boss of the cloister at Canterbury, but the muscx arc represented as butterflies, which loses sight of the allusion.

The Bee. - Both Sir Robert Peel and Sir Richard Arkwright appropriately placed a bee in their arms.

Chinuvras. - A chinutra is a modification of some existing animal, though often much more than " parce detorta " from its type. Of them the most celebrated is the winged lion of St Mark, the proud emblem of ancient Venice. Technically the bearing is " azure, a winged lion sejant' gardant, with a glory, or ; in his fore paws an open book, thereon Pax tibi, Marcc, Evangelista meus,' over the dexter page a sword ereet, - all proper."

The Dragon, though not very much used in heraldry, is a eldimera of ancient date and much employed in early romance. He is thus described" There was a dragon great and grymtne, Full of fire and also of venym; And as a lion then was his fete, His tayle was long and full unmete; Between his head and his tayle Was twenty-two f cote withouten fail; Ms body was like a wine ton, Ile shone full bright against the sun; Ilis eyes were bright as any glass, Ills scales were hard as any brass."

The dragon was a favourite standard with the Welsh princes, and used also by the Anglo-Norman sovereigns. He is drawn with four legs and wings, a long barbed tail usually knotted, and a body protected by scales. In English heraldry he is used chiefly as a crest. In Wales, Rhys Ap Tudor Mawr is said to have borne " argent, a dragon segreant sable."

The Gryphon is popular both in romance and heraldry. He is an emblem of vigilance, and inhabited a mountain in Bactria and ;carded much gold there. It was in defence of this that he "Through the wilderness Pursued the Arimaspian."

He is drawn with the body and tail of a lion, the head of a cock, a pair of wings, and very long sharp claws. When on his hind legs he is segreant.

Morgan of Tredegar: or, a gryphon segreant sable (fig. 112).

Evelyn of Wotton ; azure, a gryphon passant and a chief or.

Cotton of Landwade: sable, a chevron between three gryphons' heads erased argent.

The gryphon was an early cognizance of Redvers, earl of Devon, and was used statant by some branches of the Montacutes in the time of Henry III.

The TVyvern, is a two-legged dragon with the body passing rfe into a long tail barbed at the end and usually borne nowed or knotted.

Drake: argent, a wyvern statant, tail depressed and nowed, gules (lig. 113).

Cockatrice.

Langley; argent, a cockatrice sable, combed gales.

The Unicorn or Hearne abounds in Scottish heraldry; and was made the sinister supporter of the arms of Great Britain by James I.

"Ceste merveillose beste, Qui one come a en to teste Senefie nostre seigneur, Thcou Crist nostre santenr. C'est Funicorne spirituel, Qui entre la vierge print ostel."

Darting: argent, a unicorn sejant sable, armed and ungned or.

The Mermaid.

Ellis: argent, a mermaid gules, erined or, in her right hand a comb, in her left a mirror, argent.

The Martlet, or merlotte, a small bird without legs, and always represented close. It is one of the oldest and commonest of charges, but seldom if ever borne singly (see Fleetwood, fig. 12).

Furnival of Farnham Royal : argent, a bend between six martlets gules.