DIM 



[ 138] 



D I 



more strongly the distinction 

 between diluvial and postdiluvial 

 deposits, it will be convenient, says 

 Prof. Buckland, if geologists will 

 consent to restrict the term diluvium, 

 to the superficial gravel beds pro- 

 duced by the last universal deluge ; 

 and designate by the term al- 

 luvium those local accumulations 

 that have been formed since that 

 period. 



"All that transported matter 

 commonly termed diluvium" says 

 Sir H. De la Beche, "requires severe 

 and detailed examination. At the 

 present time, there would appear 

 to be three principal opinions 

 connected with the subject. One, 

 supposing the transport to have 

 been effected at one and the same 

 period ; another, that several catas- 

 trophes have produced these super- 

 ficial gravels ; while a third would 

 seem to refer them to a long 

 continuance of the same intensity 

 of natural forces as that which we 

 now witness. These different 

 opinions, though they cannot each 

 be correct in the explanation of all 

 the observed facts, may each be so 

 in part ; and it were to be wished 

 that the phenomena were examined 

 without the control of a precon- 

 ceived theory. " 



DIMEROCRIBI'TES. (from Sifieprjs, bi- 

 partite, and Kplvov, a lily, Gr.) 

 The name assigned by Professor 

 Phillips to a new genus, or sub- 

 genus, of encrinites belonging 

 to the Silurian rocks, he says 

 "the two following species, D. 

 decadactylus and D. icosidactylus, 

 appear to me really different, gene- 

 rically, from Actinocrinites, both 

 by the character of the intercostal 

 plates and the exact bifurcation of 

 the hands and arms. Murchison's 

 Silurian System. 



DIMO'RPHISM. In mineralogy, the 

 property which some substances 

 have of crystallizing in two differ- 

 ent forms belonging to two differ- 



ent systems of crystallization. 



DIMO'RPHOTJS. (from Sis, twice, and 

 W09), form, Gr.) Having two 

 forms. 



DI'NGLE. A dale; a narrow valley 

 between hills ; a hollow. 



DINOSATJ'RIA. The fourth order of 

 the class Beptilia; this order 

 which comprises Megalosaurus, Hy- 

 Iseosaurus, Iguanodon, Pelorosau- 

 rus, Regnosaurus, andPlateosaurus, 

 is altogether extinct. 



DINOTHE'RIUM. (from <Vos, and 

 Oijptov, Gr.) An extinct genus of 

 terrestrial mammalia. The dino- 

 therium may be considered to have 

 been the largest of terrestrial mam- 

 malia. The most abundant fossil 

 remains of this genus have been 

 found at Epplesheim, in Germany, 

 where, in 1836, an entire head of 

 this animal was discovered, mea- 

 suring about four feet in length by 

 three feet in breadth. In various 

 parts of the south of France, large 

 molar teeth and osseous fragments 

 of dinotheria have been found 

 occasionally, and these were refer- 

 red by Cuvier to a gigantic species 

 of tapir, and named by him Tapir 

 giganteus. 



Subsequent discoveries have en- 

 abled Prof. Kaup to place the 

 dinotherium in a new genus, and 

 to establish the fact that it was an 

 herbivorous aquatic animal, in- 

 habiting marshes and lakes, and 

 that one species the D. giganteum, 

 sometimes attained the length of 

 eighteen feet. The dinotherium 

 holds an intermediate place between^ 

 the tapir and the mastodon, sup- 

 plying a link between the cetacea 

 and pachydermata. The scapula, 

 or shoulder-blade, is the most re- 

 markable bone hitherto discovered, 

 belonging to this animal ; it resem- 

 bles that of the mole, and seems to 

 indicate that the fore-leg was 

 adapted for digging up the earth. 

 It appears also certain that this 

 huge creature was furnished with 



