Sea-lion

This article is about the mythical creature. For the marine mammal, see sea lion. For other uses, see Sea lion (disambiguation).
A sea-lion, illustrated in A Complete Guide to Heraldry (1909).

In heraldry, the term sea-lion (sometimes called a morse)[1] refers to a legendary creature that has the head and upper body of a lion, but with webbed forelimbs and a fish tail.[2] These occur most frequently as supporters, but also occur as crests and occasionally as charges.[1] Sea-lions are frequently found in "sejant" or "sejant-erect" (sitting upright) attitudes, but may also be found "naiant" (horizontally, as if swimming) or "assurgeant" (issuing from the waves of the sea).[1]

  1. ^ a b c Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1909). A Complete Guide to Heraldry. Ill. by Graham Johnston. London & Edinburgh: T.C. & E.C. Jack. p. 186.
  2. ^ "Sea lion". Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry. Baltimore: Arthur Francis Pimbley. 1908. p. 58. Retrieved 2012-02-29.