[Illustration:  ERMINE]

ERMINE—­white powdered with black tufts.

[Illustration:  ERMINES]

ERMINES—­field sable, powdering argent.

[Illustration:  ERMINOIS]

ERMINOIS—­field or, powdering sable.

[Illustration:  PEAN]

PEAN—­field sable; powdering, or.

ERMYNITES—­Argent, powdered sable, with the addition of a single red hair on each side the sable tufts.  This fur is seldom seen in English heraldry; and it is impossible to give an example without using colour.

[Illustration:  VAIR]

VAIR—­argent and azure.  It is represented by small bells, part reversed, ranged in lines in such a manner, that the base argent is opposite to the base azure.

[Illustration:  COUNTER-VAIR]

COUNTER-VAIR, is when the bells are placed base against base, and point against point.

[Illustration:  POTENT]

POTENT—­an obsolete word for a crutch:  it is so called in Chaucer’s description of Old Age.

  “So eld she was that she ne went
  A foote, but it were by potent.”

The field is filled with small potents, ranged in lines, azure and argent.

[Illustration:  POTENT COUNTER-POTENT.]

POTENT COUNTER-POTENT.  The heads of the crutches or potents touch each other in the centre of the shield.

CHAP.  III.

LINES USED IN PARTING THE FIELD.

Escutcheons that have more than one tincture are divided by lines; the straight lines are either perpendicular |, horizontal —­, diagonal line dexter \, and diagonal line sinister /.

Curved and angular lines are numerous, and each has an Heraldic name expressive of its form.  The names and figures of those most commonly used by English armorists are as follow:—­

Engrailed

[Illustration:  Engrailed]

Invected

[Illustration:  Invected]

Wavy, or unde

[Illustration:  Wavy]

Embattled, or crenelle

[Illustration:  Embattled]

Nebule

[Illustration:  Nebule]

Indented

[Illustration:  Indented]

Dancette

[Illustration:  Dancette]

Angled

[Illustration:  Angled]

Bevilled

[Illustration:  Bevilled]

Escartelle

[Illustration:  Escartelle]

Nowy, or franche

[Illustration:  Nowy]

Dove-tailed

[Illustration:  Dove-tailed]

Embattled grady:  sometimes called battled embattled

[Illustration:  Embattled grady]

Potent

[Illustration:  Potent]

Double arched

[Illustration:  Double arched]

Arched or enarched

[Illustration:  Arched]

Urdee

[Illustration:  Urdee]

Radient