“What is the S-shaped metal ornament on this house?”
A: "It’s an anchor plate or wall washer. It’s meant to keep masonry in place and made aesthetically pleasing because they’re visible. There is a bolt going on the other side, in the center, holding the bricks in place."
Thanks Internet.
"... and the liquid will drop through the slit in the middle."
Let's keep it clean; this is not an AO site.