D A V 
4flO DAT 
armadillo. The number of bands or zones 
in this species is generally nine : they are 
extremely distinct or well defined, and are 
transversely marked by very numerous 
wedge-shaped or acutely-triangular figures 
alternating with smaller opposite ones: and 
the head is smaller, longer in proportion, and 
sharper-snouted, than in any other species; 
the tore and hind parts of the shield or cover- 
ing are marked by very numerous fiat round- 
ed scales or tubercles, with smaller ones in- 
terposed ; the ears are moderately large, and 
upright; the tail is longer than in any other 
-species, and tapers gradually to the tip. It 
is marked by transverse rows of longish hex- 
agonal divisions on each joint; on the fore 
feet are four toes, and live on the hind; the 
fclaws moderately large and strong. 
5. Dasypus cingdlis duodecim. This, ac- 
cording to the character generally given in 
authors, should have twelve zones or bands ; 
but it is certain that this number is not very 
accurately observed by nature, and perhaps 
13 or 14 is the more general number. The 
individuals also appear to vary in some other 
particulars. That described by Buffon and ! 
Mr. Pennant, under the title of the twelve- 
banded armadillo, has broad upright ears ; 
•the head is thick and broad, and is marked 
above into large angular divisions; the crust 
on the shoulders into oblong pieces inclining 
to a squarish form; that on the rump into 
hexagonal ones. The length of this animal, 
from the nose to the tail, is about a foot; the 
tail about seven inches or less. 
6. Dasypus cingulis octodecim, or eighteen- 
banded armadillo, was first described by Grew, 
in the last century, under the name of the 
» eezle-headed armadillo. This species seems 
jjiost allied to the twelve-banded armadillo. 
DATA, among mathematicians, a term 
for such things or quantities as are given or 
known, in order to find other things that are 
-unknown. Euclid uses the word data for 
^such spaces, lines, aiid angles, as are given in 
magnitude, or to which we can assign others 
equal. 
In algebra the given quantities or data are 
-expressed by the first letters of the alphabet, 
and the unknown quantities by the last let- 
ters ; thus, if the problem be from the sum 
and product of two quantities given, to find 
the quantities themselves, the quantities are 
represented by y and z ; and y -f- z = a the 
sum given, and y z — b the product given, 
gee Algebra. 
DATE, in law, is the description of the 
day, month, year of our Lord, and year of 
the reign of the king, in which a deed or 
oilier writing was made. Antiently deeds 
had no dates but only of the month and year, 
and now, if in the date of any deed, the year 
of our Lord is right, though the year of the 
king’s reign is wrong, it shall not hurt the 
same. A deed is good, though it has no 
date of the day, or if that be mistaken, or 
though it contains an impossible date ; but 
then he that pleads such a deed must set 
forth the time when it was delivered: for 
every deed or writing has a date in law, and 
that is the day of the delivery ; and where 
there is none, a plaintiff, it is said, may count 
it of any date. 
in writings of importance, the date should 
be written in words at length. An antedate 
is a date prior to the real time when the in- 
;i^umtut was signed. A post-date is that i 
D A U 
posterior to the real time when the instru- 
ment was passed. 
Date. See Phcenix. 
DATISCA, a genus of the dodecandria 
order, in the cliaicia class of plants, and in the 
natural method ranking under the 54th or- 
der,, miscellaneie. The male calyx is penta- 
phyllous; there is no corolla; the antherse 
.are sessile, long, and 15 in number. The fe- 
male calyx is bidented ; no corolla ; the 
styles three ; the capsule triangular, three- 
horned, unilocular, pervious, polyspermous, 
inferior. There are two species. 
DATISI, in logic, a mode of syllogism m 
the third figure, in which the major is an uni- 
versal affirmative, and the minor and conclu- 
sion particular affirmative propositions. For 
example, 
J)a- All who serve God are kings : 
ti- Some who serve God are poor ; 
si. Therefore some who are poor are 
kings. 
DATIVE, among grammarians, the third 
case in the declension of nouns, expressing 
the relation of a thing to whose profit or loss 
some other thing is referred. It is called da- 
tive, because usually governed by a verb, 
implying something to be given to some per- 
son. In English the dative is expressed by 
the signs to or for. 
DATURA, the thorn-apple, a genus of the 
monogynia order, in the pentandria class of 
plants, and in the natural method ranking 
under the 28th order, luridax The corolla 
is funnel-shaped and plaited; the calyx tubu- 
lar, angulated, and deciduous; the capsule 
quadrivalved. There are eight species : the 
most remarkable are, 
1. The stramonium, or common thorn- 
apple, rises about a yard high, with an erect, 
strong, round, hollow, green stalk, branching 
luxuriantly, having the branches widely ex- 
tended on every side ; large, oval, irregularly 
angulated, smooth, dark-green leaves ; and 
from the divisions of the branches, large white 
flowers singly, succeeded by large, oval, 
prickly capsules, growing erect, commonly 
called thorn-apples. At night the upper 
leaves rise up and inclose the flowers. The 
blossoms have sometimes a tinge of purple 
or violet. The flowers consist of one large 
funnel-shaped petal, having a long tube, and 
spreading pentagonal limb, succeeded by 
large roundish capsules of the size of mid- 
dling apples, closely beset with sharp spines. 
An ointment prepared from the leaves gives 
ease in external inflammations and in the hae- 
morrhoids. The seeds were recommended 
by Dr. Storck to be taken internally in cases 
of madness ; but they seem to be a very un- 
safe remedy. Taken even in a small dose, 
they bring on a delirium, and in a large one 
would certainly prove fatal. Cows, horses, 
sheep, and goats, refuse this plant. 
2. Datura arborea, is a stove-plant, much 
esteemed for the beauty and fragrance of its 
large white flowers. 
DAUCUS, the carrot, a genus of the digy- 
nia order in the pentandria class of plants, 
and in the natural method ranking under the 
45th order, umbellatae. The corolla is a little 
radiated, all hermaphrodite; the fruit bristly 
with short hairs. There are seven species, 
but the only one which merits attention is the 
carota or common carot. This is so well 
known as to need no description. There are 
i several varieties, as the. white, the orange, 
* 
: and the purple carrot ; but of these the orange 1 ' 
carrot is the most esteemed. It grows long- 
er, larger, and is commonly more handsome, 
than the others, being often 15 or 18 inches 
long in the eatable part, and from two to four 
in diameter at top. Carrots are propagated 
by seeds ; which are sown at different seasons 
ot the year, in order to procure a supply of 
young roots for the table at all times. The 
season for sowing for the earliest crop is soon 
after Christmas; the manner of cultivating 
them is too well known to need any particu- 
lar description. 
Carrots have been greatly recommended 
as proper for fattening hogs ;' but from some 
experiments mentioned in the Georgical Es- 
says it appears, that though the bacon thus 
fed is of excellent quality, the feeding is con- 
siderably dearer than when fed with peas, pol- 
lard, &c,. In the same essays, an experiment 
is mentioned by Dr. Hunter, concerning the 
propriety of raising carrots tor the use of the 
distiller. From a gross calculation lie is in- 
duced to think that a good acre of carrots so 
manufactured will leave a profit of 4b/. after 
deducting the landlord’s rent, cultivation, 
distillation, and other incidental expenees. 
In this calculation he presumes that the spirit 
is worth 6s. per gallon, and not excised. An 
acre ot barley will by no means produce so 
much spirit. A rich sandy loam is the best 
land for carrots ; which, alter the crop is re- 
moved, will be in high cultivation tor corn. 
Attempts have also been made to prepare 
sugar from carrots. A poultice of carrots 
mitigates the pain and abates the stench of 
foul and cancerous ulcers. Crickets are very- 
loud of carrots ; and are easily destroyed by 
making a paste of powdered arsenic, wheat- 
flower, and scraped carrots, which must be 
placed near their habitations. The seeds 
have been reckoned diuretic ; and were for- 
merly much used as a remedy for the stone, 
but are at present little regarded. Carrots 
were first introduced into "England by the 
Flemings in the reign of queen Elizabeth. 
DAV ID) STS, in church history, a sect of 
Christian heretics in the 16th century; so 
called from David George, their leader, who 
began by giving out that he was the Messiah,, 
and was sent into the world in order to 
people l he kingdom of heaven, which was 
quite empty ol inhabitants for want of vir- 
tuous and good men : he rejected marriage 
and denied the resurrection. 
DAV IT, in a ship, along beam of timber, 
represented bv a, a, Plate Miscel. fig. 31, and 
used as a crane to hoist the flukes of the an- 
chor to the top of the bow, without injuring 
the sides ot the ship as it ascends; an opera- 
tion which by mariners is called fishing the 
anchor. 1 he anchors being situated on both 
the bows, the davit may be occasionally shift- 
ed, so as to project over either side 'of the 
ship, according to the position of that anchor 
on which it is ‘employed. The inner end of 
the davit is secured by being thrust into a 
square ring of iron b, which is bolted to the 
deck, and forelocked under the beams. This 
ring, which is called the span-shackle, exhi- 
bited by the figure, is fixed exactly in the 
middle of the deck, and close behind the 
foremast. Upon the outer end of the davit 
is hung a large block c, through which a 
strong rope traverses, called the fish-pendant, 
d; to whose foremost end is tilted a large 
iron hook e, and to its after-end a tackle or 
