The saltire or saltier (Fig. 184) is more frequently to be met with in Scottish than in English heraldry. This is not surprising, inasmuch as the saltire is known as the Cross of St. Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland. Its form is too well known to need description. It is of course subject to the usual partition lines (Figs. 185-192).
When a saltire is charged the charges are usually placed conformably therewith.
The field of a coat of arms is often per saltire.
When one saltire couped is the principal charge it will usually be
found that it is couped conformably to the outline of the shield; but if the couped saltire be one of a number or a subsidiary charge it will be found couped by horizontal lines, or by lines at right angles. The saltire has not developed into so many varieties of form as the cross, and (e.g.) a saltire botonny is assumed to be a cross botonny placed saltireways, but a saltire parted and fretty is to be met with (Fig. 193).
THE CHIEF
The chief (Fig. 194), which is a broad band across the top of the shield containing (theoretically, but not in fact) the uppermost third of the area of the field, is a very favourite ordinary. It is of course subject to the variations of the usual partition lines (Figs. 195-203). It is usually drawn to contain about one-fifth of the area of the field, though in cases where it is used for a landscape augmentation it will usually be found of a rather greater area.
| Fig. 188.—Saltire indented. | Fig. 189.—Saltire wavy. | Fig. 190.—Saltire nebuly. |
| Fig. 191.—Saltire raguly. | Fig. 192.—Saltire dovetailed. | Fig. 193.—Saltire parted and fretty. |
The chief especially lent itself to the purposes of honourable augmentation, and is constantly found so employed. As such it will be referred to in the chapter upon augmentations, but a chief of this character may perhaps be here referred to with advantage, as this will
indicate the greater area often given to it under these conditions, as in the arms of Ross-of-Bladensburg (Plate II.).