"Chaffinch" Quotes from Famous Books
 ... Cocks, with the same allusive motive, were borne by COCKAYNE: Parrots, blazoned as "Popinjays," appear as early as HENRYIII.: and in a Roll of EDWARDII., the Sire MOUNPYNZON has a Lion charged on the shoulder with a Chaffinch—in French a Pinson. The favourite bird, however, of the early Heralds is the Martlet, the heraldic Martin, anear relative of the Swallow or Hirondelle. The Martlet is practically always represented in profile, ...
— The Handbook to English Heraldry • Charles Boutell |
