Ducks

Ducks

Ducks, (fr. canard): We find this very large family(anatinœ“) represented in heraldry under several names. The duck proper, as also the drake. The shield-drake, or sheldrake, as it is written(anas tadorna). The wild-duck(anas boschas), with the teal(anas crecea) and the mallard. What is meant by the sea-teal is not certain. The sholarde, or shoveller(anas clypeata) may be distinguished by two small tufts of feathers, one on the back of the head, another on ther breast.

Argent, a fesse gules between three ducks azure--CARTHEN.

Argent, a fesse gules fretty or between three ducks sable--HANKINSON, Middlesex.

Sable, a duck argent beaked or within a bordure engrailed of the last--MORE.

Gules, a fesse between three drakes argent--Philip ap RHYS.

Argent, a chevron sable between three drakes azure, beaked and membered or--YEO.

Argent, on a fesse gules, between three drakes proper, a rose or--DRAX Priory, Yorkshire.

Argent, on a chevron gules three sheldrakes of the field; on a canton of the second a rose or--SHELDON, Bp. of London, 1560; Abp. of Cant. 1663-77. [Founder of the Sheldonian Theatre; arms granted 1660.]

Azure, a fesse erminois between three sheldrakes proper--JACKSON.

Gules, a fesse between three sheldrakes argent--JACKSON(Bart. 1660).

Azure, a chevron between three wild ducks volant argent--WOLRYCH, Salop.

Quarterly per fesse indented sable and argent, in the first quarter a mallard of the last--BRESSY, Cheshire.

Argent, a chevron sable between three mallards proper--Joseph HENSHAW[Bp. of Peterborough, 1673].

Per chevron gules and sable, in chief two teals argent, in base a fish or--COBB, Norfolk.

Argent, a sea-teal gules winged or--ELCHAM.

Gules, a shoveller argent. Crest: a demi-shoveller argent--LANGFORD, London.

Sable, a shoveller argent--POPLER.

Gules, a fesse between three shovellers argent--William JACKSON, Bp. of Oxford, 1812-15.

Azure, three shoveller's heads erased or--Edmund LACY, Bp. of Hereford, 1417; afterwards Bp. of Exeter, 1420-55.

Quarterly, first and fourth; argent, a chevron sable between three mallards proper; second and third; argent, a cross between four fleurs-de-lys sable--HENSHARD, Bp. of Peterborough, 1663-79.

Gules, a bend nebuly between two shovellers argent--READE, Oxon.

The Muscovy duck(cairina moschata) and the smew(mergellus albellus) are found named. The white nun us another name for the smew, white the term cannet(fr. canette) seems to be an old heraldic name for a duck, which is to be represented drawn in profile, and is to be used when several appear in the shield.

Argent, a chevron azure between three muscovy ducks proper--STOCK.

Azure, a smew or white nun proper--ABNOTT.

Argent, a chevron gules between three cannets sable--DUBISSON.

Argent, in chief two cannets, and in base an annulet gules--KENNAWAY, Scotland.

Argent, seven cannets, 3, 3, and 1 sable--CANNETON.