Martlet

The marlet, in English heraldic tradition, is a bird often depicted similar to that of a sparrow or house martin, though missing his legs.

The martlet, alternately spelled merlette in French sources, is an imagined bird found primarily in English, French and German heraldry; English custom depicts a bird similar to a sparrow or house martin without feet, the French custom renders the merlette as a duckling without feet or bill and German tradition treats the bird similiar to a lark.

The earliest known depiction of a merlette comes to us c. 1185 in the coat of arms of the Mello family of Normandy, and soon after in the arms of families such as Merlot and Merloz. It is thought that from this use that the bird was employed as a cant on the family surnames, and thus originally intended to depict a blackbird, known as merle in the French language. However, from the 14th century onwards the merlette appears to be used as a generic term for a small bird, appearing in the canting arms of families such as Oisery, Oisy, Loiseau, and no longer is representative of any specific species. During this period, the depictions vary between the footed and footless merlette; by the late 15th century the begins looses his beak in emblazonings.

In English heraldry the martlet is the traditional mark of a fourth son.