Salmon

Salmon

Salmon, (fr. saumon): this fish is frequently blazoned in heraldry, though no very definite drawing has been noted. It is very frequently used for the sake of the play upon the name; sometimes by towns, perhaps, such as Kingston-on-Thames, Peebles on the Tweed, Lanark on the Clyde, in consequence of salmon being plentiful near them; and by families in consequence of the fish thriving on their estates. Mr.Moule, in his work on the heraldry of fish, has collected many stories accounting for the device. That on the insignia of the town of Glasgow is supposed to be in allusion to a remark of S.Kentigern the first bishop.

Sable, three salmon hauriant argent--John SALMON, Bp. of Norwich, 1299-1325.

Gules, three salmon hauriant argent--Family of GLOUCESTER.

Gules, two salmon in pale argent finned or--SAMS, co. Essex.

Gules, a salmon in fesse argent--PISAGE.

Argent, a tree growing out of a mound in base, surmounted by a salmon in fesse all proper, in his mouth an annulet or; on the dexter side a bell pendent to the tree of the second--Royal Burgh of GLASGOW.

Three salmon hauriant in pale argent--Town of KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES.

Gules, a salmon's head couped argent with an annulet through its nose proper, between three cinquefoils of the second--HAMILTON, Scotland.

With the salmon is allied the Trout(fr. truite), and there is practically no difference in the drawing. Mr.Moule thinks when a fish is shewn in, or near, a river, and not distinctly named, it is intended for the trout, but does not give conclusive reasons. The French employ the trout, and frequently apply to it the term marqueté, i.e. in reference to the spots.

Azure, three trout[interlaced, or] fretted in triangle, 'testes aux queues' argent--TROUTBECK of Cornwall.

Azure, two trout[? ged] in saltire argent--GEDNEY, or GEDENEY.

Gules, a trout in bend argent--NEVE.

Argent, on a bend sable three trout or--OSBORNE, London.

Sable, a chevron or between three trout hauriant argent--FOREMAN, Scotland.

D'azur, à une truite d'argent en bande, marquetée de sable, accompagnée de 6 étoiles d'or en orle--ORCIVAL, Auvergne.

There are one or two other fish which should be here noted, such as the smelt(fr. eperlan), known in Scotland as the sparling. The 'grayling' is perhaps intended in the crest of the family of GRAYLEY; while the French name for the same, ombre, may have suggested the fish in the arms of the UMBRELL family.

Azure, a chevron between three smelts naiant argent--SMELT, co. York.

Erminois, three sparlings hauriant two and one proper--SPARLING, Petton, co. Salop.

Argent, three umber fish naiant--UMBRELL.

The salmon spear occurs on the arms of two branches of the Cornish family of GLYN. The form this spear takes has been given under Eel-spear.

Argent, three salmon spears points downwards sable--GLYNN, co. Cornwall.