▁pel ts ▁were ▁se wn ▁together , ▁forming ▁an ▁und ulating , ▁bell - sh aped ▁pattern , ▁with ▁inter lock ing ▁light ▁and ▁dark ▁rows . ▁ ▁The ▁her ald ic ▁fur ▁is ▁dep icted ▁with ▁inter lock ing ▁rows ▁of ▁argent ▁and ▁azure , ▁although ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁pel ts , ▁usually ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁" v air ▁b ells ", ▁is ▁usually ▁left ▁to ▁the ▁artist ' s ▁dis cret ion . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁modern ▁form , ▁the ▁b ells ▁are ▁dep icted ▁with ▁straight ▁lines ▁and ▁sharp ▁angles , ▁and ▁meet ▁only ▁at ▁points ; ▁in ▁the ▁older , ▁und ulating ▁pattern , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁v air ▁on d é ▁or ▁v air ▁ancien , ▁the ▁b ells ▁of ▁each ▁t inct ure ▁are ▁cur ved ▁and ▁joined ▁at ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁There ▁is ▁no ▁fixed ▁rule ▁as ▁to ▁whether ▁the ▁argent ▁b ells ▁should ▁be ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁or ▁the ▁bottom ▁of ▁each ▁row . ▁ ▁At ▁one ▁time ▁v air ▁commonly ▁came ▁in ▁three ▁sizes , ▁and ▁this ▁distinction ▁is ▁sometimes ▁encountered ▁in ▁contin ental ▁her ald ry ; ▁if ▁the ▁field ▁contains ▁fewer ▁than ▁four ▁rows , ▁the ▁fur ▁is ▁term ed ▁gros ▁v air ▁or ▁be ff ro i ; ▁if ▁of ▁six ▁or ▁more , ▁it ▁is ▁menu - v air , ▁or ▁min iver . ▁ ▁A ▁common ▁variation ▁is ▁counter - v air , ▁in ▁which ▁altern ating ▁rows ▁are ▁revers ed , ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁bases ▁of