e
shield before they were placed on banners, standards, and coat armour;
and wherever they appear at the present time they are painted on a
plane or superficies resembling a shield.

[Illustration: Escutcheon]

[Illustration: Lozenge]

Shields in Heraldic language are called Escutcheons or Scutcheons,
from the Latin word _scutum_. The forms of the shield or field upon
which arms are emblazoned are varied according to the taste of the
painter. The Norman pointed shield is generally used in Heraldic
paintings in ecclesiastical buildings: the escutcheons of maiden
ladies and widows are painted on a lozenge-shaped shield. Armorists
distinguish several points in the escutcheon in order to determine
exactly the position of the bearings or charges. They are denoted in
the annexed diagram, by the first nine letters of the alphabet ranged
in the following manner:

[Illustration]

|-----------------|
| A B C | A, the dexter chief.
| | B, the precise middle chief.
| D | C, the sinister chief.
| | D, the honour point.
| E | E, the fess point.
| | F, the nombril point.
| F | G, the dexter base.
| | H, the precise middle base.
| G H I | I, the sinister base.
\ /
\ --------- /

The dexter side of the escutcheon answers to the left hand, and the
sinister side to the right hand of the person that looks at it.

TINCTURES.

By the term _Tincture_ is meant that variable hue which is given to
shields and their bearings; they are divided into colours and furs.

The colours or metals used in emblazoning arms are--

yellow,
white,
red,
blue,
black,
green,
purple,
orange,
murrey.

These colours are denoted in engravings by various lines or dots, as
follows:

[Illustration: OR]

OR, which signifies _gold_, and in colour yellow, is expressed by
dots.

[Illustration: ARGENT]

ARGENT signifies _silver_ or _white_: it is left quite plain.

[Illustration: GULES]

GULES signifies _red_: it is expressed by lines drawn from the chief
to the base of the shield.

[Illustration: AZURE]

AZURE signifies _blue_: it is represented by lines drawn from the
dexter to the sinister side of the shield, parallel to the chief.

[Illustration: VERT]

VERT signifies _green_: it i