DIC 
whence he obtained the an an 
the proportion of the fides of ne triangle, one of which 
is the diftance of the moon from the earth, and another that 
of the fun; fo that he hence obtained the proportion of one 
of thefe dilkances to the other. Ariftarchus found that this 
angle was not lefs than 87°, and hence concluded that the 
diftance of the {un from the earth was from 18 to 20 times 
nd 
arth, 
diameter of the 
at 
of 43 ta 108, a 
_ lefs than a third of that of the earth. See ArisTar- 
CHU 
But it is very difficult to fix the precife moment when the 
moon is bifeéted, or in her true dichotomy. Obfervation 
, and fome time afterwards, as 
mageft. So that fhe ap 
in which time an 
number of moments of time give an ite diverfity of 
diftances. The moment in which the he dichotomy hap- 
; but anted withal 
pens being thus uncertain ; it being 
that it happens before the quadrature ; ee takes the 
middle point between the quadrature, and the time when it 
is firft dubious, whether the moon be dichotomized, or not, 
for the true dichot tomy. Keil. 
IcHoTomyY, in Botany, a term ufed to exprefs that di- 
vifion of the branches, which we fee in mifletoe, and in the 
greater part of the fea-fucufes, in = each branch is 
: ee Dicn US. 
HOTOPHYLLUM, the name by which Dillenius, 
and feveral others, call the hydroceratophy om of Vaillant, 
and fome other writers; a genus of plants charactered by 
Linnzus in his Genera ae ee under the name of cera- 
tophyllum. 
DICHROMENA, (from % or dis, and xpwya, colour, al- 
Iuding to the Mele aes of white and green in its invo 
m.) Michaux Fl. Boreal-Amer. v.i. 37. Va num. 
v.2. ae Cais and order, Triandria Monogynia. Nat. Ord. 
age 
— 
i~] 
‘ 
Spikelet, compofed of ovato- inaarcae concave 
Gen. 
games, fabrieeted in all direGtions, and feparating the flo- 
ov. NO il 8 3, very peal 1 only, 
anthers linear. Pi, Germen 
consent after owerin ; 
minute; ftyle c epee elongated ; dilated and compreffed 
at the bafe; ftigmas 2, capillary, the length of the ftyle. 
Peric. none. "Seed folitary, fomewhat lenticular, tranfverfely _ 
k origi- 
he permanent bottom of the ftyle; and deftitute 
ef briitles at its own bafe. Vahl 
‘DIG 
Eff. Ch, Glumes imbricated every way. Corolla none. 
Stigmas 2. Seed fomewhat lenticular, tranfverfely rugged 
and ape ters crowned with a blunt point, and without brif- 
tles . iu 
beans, "founded by Michaux and adopted by Vahl, 
confits of five known fpecies, one of which is Schoenus flel= 
latus of nes and Lamarck, and pat! Scirpus reptans of 
Richard. Ges de la Soc. d’ hift. nat. de Paris, v. 1. 106 
Their commen habit is thus dleribed by Vahl. —<« They 
have the afpe&t of Kyllingia. ‘The culms are feveral, without 
joints, aay in the upper ale eee clothed at the 
lower part with the fheaths of the l-aves, which are nume-~ 
rous, undiv i: 2 and viry minutely {triated, like the leaves 
themfelves, which are Jinear. Involucrum widely fpreading, 
compofed of feveral er eee relembli ag.the proper leaves, one 
of which only is fhorter thau the head of flowers, the others 
gradually longer. Spikelets mare iy a Meh oblong. 
Glumes membranous, whitifh, pel ucid, what keeled, 
acute.” The Le are all natives of Sou th Racin Ca- 
rolina, or the W Welt ies. 
in Agr eur, a term aa employed to 
fignify the mound or back of a ditc ENCE. 
Dicx-Hole, a oor “fignitying the ee excavation or 
ditch itfelf. See Fence. 
Dick, in Gegraply, a town of dene in the ftate of 
South Carolina; 16 mites W. of Queen nbor 
Dicx’s river, a river of America, in Kentucky, which i is 
a branch of Renee river, joining it ina N a 
outh. 
Ie is about 5°. ous long, and 45 yards wide at the 
as upon number of excellent mil!-feats, ae runs 
diecast a ae st valuable land. 
R, or Dicrz, Dicra in our Old Writers, a quan- 
tity of ee cua of ten 
Som ord from oe Creek dso, ten. 
=a) 
e a dicra 
at XXXVI. dicras 
bars to the dic Gale sini Brit. 766, 
DICKINSON, or ee bowers | in Biography. 
a celebrated Englith hak per chemiit, in the 17th 
of Berke, i in 
to Merton college, Oxford. 
he was entered in the medical line in ge and admitted to 
the degrees of Ecsee and doctor in phyfic, in the year 
1 55, he publifhed a done entitled ** Delpht 
Phoenicizaneer?? &c. defigned to prove that the a ay 
rowed the ftory of the Pythian Apollo, and whateve 
dered the oracle of Delphi ed ah the Holy Scriptures, 
a. This work, which 
wicose 
egree of repu cecea 
ad, and, induced Dr. Shelden, afterwards archbifhop of 
ae 
the 
ence adduce 
gether deftitute of integrity. He, howev 
tion of being the author, and derived benefit from ‘ie opi« 
nion that was entertained, in confequence of it, of his learn- 
ing, 
aes to other things befides - 
» 
a 
