Serpents, Snakes and Reptiles

Serpents, snakes and vipers are borne coiled and twisted in various forms, mainly as follow:

Entwined

Coiled erect

Erect

Ondoyant

Further examples:

1. Bowed-embowed, or enwrapped debruised describes the serpent turned twice or thrice round the neck, with the head emerging from the middle of the folds.

 

2. Bowed-embowed, debruised, with the head, that is, the serpent is also twice or thrice rounded but with the head debruising the folds, that is, projecting over all of them.

 

The different forms a serpent may be blazoned embowed and bowed-embowed.

3. Bowed embowed erect counter-debruised, or Bowed debruised, and counter-embowed debruised described the tail of the serpent which curves down and up again passing under, then curves right and left before curling under again; sometimes termed double embowed debruised  and also bowed double and fretted.

4. Bowed with the tail elevated or turned over the head, by some termed elevated and turned over the head only.

 

 

5. Bowed debruised, the tail surmounting or embowed the head debruised, indicating that the tail curves round and goes over the body rather than below which is the normal position.

6. Bowed-embowed, or enwrapped. When the serpent is turned twice or thrice round, one coil within the other.

7. Bowed knotted, debruised, and torqued, that is when the head part is embowed, the middle enwrapped in a knot, with the tail part flected and bent again.

 

The stances and attitudes of reptiles as emblazoned on a shield have specific heraldic terms, as follow:

Bowed - A serpent curved. See above for the various forms.

Coiled erect  - A serpent with its head ready to strike and rising from its coiled body.

Counter-debruised - A term describing either the head or tail of a serpent  when, in the bowing or embowing, it is turned under in a contrary direction one to the other.

Curling  - This term is sometimes encountered to describe a curled serpent .

Declinant, Declivant, Recinant - Used in describing a serpent whose tail is represented straight downward.

Embowed - A serpent curved. See above for the various forms.

Entwined, Enveloped.- A serpent entwined around an object.

Erect - Said of a serpent represented as the letter S reversed, in the attitude of striking.

Gliding, Glissant - Descriptive of serpents when slithering forward.

Gradient - Walking slowly as applied to a tortoise.

Nowed - A serpent coiled in the form of a loose knot.

Ondoyant, Undoyant - Said of a serpent undulating fesswise.

Raping - Applied to any ravenous beast represented devouring its prey.

Reclinant - Used in describing a serpent whose tail is represented straight downward. See Declinant

Retorted  -  Describing two serpents intertwined.

Targent  -  Curved in the form of the letter S.

Tergiant -  The back, say of a tortoise, towards the spectator.

Upright - The rampant or erect position applied to reptiles and shell fish.

Vigilant - In the attitude of watching for prey.