in heraldry, is where a beast has its limbs separated from its body, so that they still remain on the escutcheon, with only a small separation from their natural places.

DESIDERATUM is used to signify the desirable perfections in any art or science: thus, it is a desideratum with the blacksmith, to render iron fusible by a gentle heat, and yet preserve it hard enough for ordinary uses; with the glafsman, and looking-glass maker, to render glass malleable; with the clock-maker, to bring pendulums to be useful where there are irregular motions, &c.