DEV 



DIA 



try, that which has but one, or at least a 

 limited number of answers : as the follow- 

 ing problem, which has but one only so- 

 lution, viz. To describe an isoceles tri- 

 angle on a given line, whose angles at 

 the base shall be double that at the ver- 

 tex. But the following hath two solu- 

 tions, viz. To find an isoceles triangle, 

 whose area and perimeter are given. 



DETINUE, is a writ which lies where 

 any man comes to goods or chattels, either 

 by delivery or by finding, and refuseth 

 to redeliver them ; and it lies only for the 

 detaining, when the detaining was law- 

 ful. In this writ the plaintiff shall recov- 

 er the thing detained ; and therefore it 

 must be so certain, as that it may be spe- 

 cifically known. Therefore it cannot be 

 brought for money, corn, or the like, for 

 that cannot be known from other money 

 or corn, unless it be in a bag or sack, for 

 then it may be distinguishably mark- 

 ed. 



In order therefore to ground an action 

 of detinue, which is only for the detain- 

 ing, these points are necessary : 1. That 

 the defendant came lawfully by the 

 goods, as either by delivery to him, or 

 finding them. 2. That the plaintiff hu\v 

 a property. 3. That the goods them- 

 selves be of value. And 4. That they be 

 ascertained in point of identity. Upon 

 this, the jury, if they find for the plain- 

 tiff, assess the respective values of the 

 cral parcels detained, and also da- 

 mages for the detention, and the judg- 

 ment is conditional, that the plaintiff re- 

 cover the said goods, or (if they cannot 

 be had) their respective values, and also 

 the damages for detaining them. 



DETOVATIO.V, in chemistry, an ex- 

 plosion with noise, made bv the inflam- 

 mation of a combustible body. Decrepi- 

 tation differs from detonation only as 

 producing a fainter noise, or merely a 

 kind of crackling sound peculiar to cer- 

 tain salts. Fulmination is a more quick 

 and lively detonation, such as takes place 

 with certain preparations of gold, silver, 

 mercury, 8tc. See DECHEPITVTFOV, Fi L- 



Ml S \TION. 



"f- DETRANCIIK, in heraldry, a line 

 bendwise, proceeding always from the 

 dexter side, but not from llie very angle, 

 diagonally athwart the shield. 

 ^ DEVISE, or DEVICE, in heraldry, 

 painting and sculpture, anv eniMo-m used 

 to represent a certain family, person, ac- 

 tion, or quality ; with a suitable motto ap- 

 plied in a figurative sense. 



DEVOURING, in heraldry, is when 

 <-- fishes are borne in an escutcheon in a 

 VOL. IV. 



feeding posture, for they swallow all the 

 meat whole. 



DEUTZIA, in botany, a genus of the 

 Decandria Trigynia class and order. Es- 

 sential character: calyx one -leafed; cap- 

 sule three-celled ; filaments three cusp- 

 cd. There is but one species, z. D. 

 scabra, a tree about the height of a man, 

 and very much branched. It is a native 

 of Japan, where the leaves are used by 

 joiners in smoothing and polishing. 



DEW, a dense moist vapour, falling on 

 the earth in the form of a misting rain, 

 while the sun is below the horizon. See 



Mr.TEOROLOftT ; VAPOURS, OSCCJlt of. 



DEW toorm. See LCMBRICVS. 



DEWLAP, the membranous fleshy 

 substance that hangs down from the 

 throats of neat cattle. 



DEXTANS, in Roman antiquity, ten J 

 ounces, or Ifl of their as. See As. 

 / DEXTER, in heraldry, an appellation 

 given to whatever belongs to the right * 

 side of a shield, or ceat of arms : thus 

 we say, bend dexter, dexter point, &c. 



DEXTROCHERE, or DESTHOLHKRE, 

 in heraldry, is applied to the right arm 

 painted in a shield, sometimes naked, 

 sometimes clothed, or adorned with a 

 bracelet ; and sometimes armed, or hold- 

 ing some movcablc, or member used in 

 the arms. 



D1AHETES, an excessive discharge of 

 urine, which conies away crude, and ex- 

 ceeds the quantity of liquids drank. See 

 MKHK -INK. 



1)1 AC. \rSTIC cm-re, a species of caus- 

 tic curves formed by refraction. Thus if 

 we imagine an infinite number of rays 

 HA, HM,BD, &c. (Plate Miscell. Fig. 6.) 

 issuing from the same luminous point B, 

 to be. refracted to or from the perpendi- 

 cular M C, by the given curve A M D, 

 and so that C E, the signs of the angles 

 of incidence C M E, be always to C O, 

 the sines of the refracted angles C M G, 

 in a given ratio, then the curve H F N, 

 whicli touches all the refracted rays, is 

 called the diacaustic, or caustic by re- 

 fraction. 



DIACHYLON, a well known plaster, 

 composed of a solution of litharge in olive 

 oil : it is called emplnstrurn lithargvri. 

 See PIIUI v 



1)1 VDT.I. I'll I A, in botany, two bro- 

 therhoods ; the .s in Lin- 

 , sting of plants 

 ..phrodite, and 



'he stamina, or male organs, united 

 below into two sets of cylindrical fila- 

 ment- - iCK.tt. 



The orders in this class arc founded 



I 



