Whilst on heraldry, apparently what most people call a star is actually a mullet. So the Star-spangled Banner should be the mullet-spangled banner. A star always has wavy rays; a mullet (as in the coat of the De Vere's, for example) is the disc of a spur-rowel, though nearly always without a central hole. The stars and stripes ought to be the mullets and bars. Not that my family has arms- we fell on hard times in the 18th century, when Bartholomew Barton lost his fortune at Walton-on-the-Naze. He owned 600-acre Horsey Island off the east coast, but the sea broke in and flooded it permanently. I'd be interested if there is a history of this island, which I think has only one house. Also re Vauxhall 'cars; are they pronounced 'Vokesel' or 'Vohsle'? (mine's a Raleigh).His Lordship owned Vauxhall Gardens in London, I believe. John Barton