goose

We can consider the goose and duck together here as the former is quite rare, the latter appear in several forms, but both share the same meaning. Guillim, the 17th century author points out that such birds can swim, fly and run and thus their use may symbolise those who “have many ways of eluding their enemies”. A Display of Heraldry, J. Guillim, Blome, London, 1679, P158 Other names for the ducks especially mayh have been used because of some assocation with the family name, the smew may fall into this category. A Glossary of Terms used in British Heraldry, J.H. Parker, Oxford, 1894, Entry:Goose and Duck