DEN 
DEN 
D E P 
503 
and the elevation index moved upwards till 
the bough is seen through tire sights, and 
screwed fast. Set the moveable part of the 
sliding piece in a position parallel to the 
bough, and the edge of the horizontal index 
on the lirst division of it. Turn the whole 
instrument about till you see through the 
sights the shoot of the bough close to the 
trunk cut by the perpendicular wires ; then 
move the sights till you see the other end of 
the bough cut by the said wires, and note the 
feet and inches marked by the horizontal in- 
dex on the moveable limb of the sliding piece, 
which will give the true length of the bough 
to be inserted in the lield-book. And the 
girth of the bough may be obtained by di- 
recting the sight to that part of it whose girth 
is desired; then by moving the elevation in- 
dex downwards till you see the under side of 
the bough cut by the horizontal wires, and 
there noting the feet and inches marked by 
the said index on the altimeter; after which, 
let the elevation index be moved upwards, 
till the upper side of the bough cut by the 
horizontal wires is seen ; the feet and inches 
marked upon the altimeter are to be noted 
as before. The former quantity subtracted 
from the latter will give the true diameter of 
the bough, which is entered in the lield-book. 
The true solidity both of the body of the tree 
and of the boughs may be found from the 
diameter and lengths in tables calculated for 
this purpose. 
The dendrometer, fitted to a theodolite, 
may be applied to measuring the heights and 
distances of objects, accessible or inacces- 
sible, whether situated in planes parallel or 
oblique to the plane in which the instrument 
is placed. It may he also used for taking all 
angles, whether vertical, horizontal, or ob- 
lique, in any position of the planes in which 
they are formed ; and thus for facilitating the 
practical operations of engineering, land-sur- 
veying, levelling, mining, &c. and for perform- 
ing the various cases of plane trigonometry 
without calculation, of which the inventors 
have subjoined to their account of this instru- 
ment many examples. 
DENIER, a small French copper coin, of 
which 12 make a sol. There were two kinds 
of deniers, the one tournois, the other pari- 
sis, whereof tiie latter was worth a fourth part 
more than the former. 
DENIZEN. A denizen is an alien-born, 
who has obtained letters patent whereby he 
is constituted an English subject. A denizen 
is in a middle state, between an alien and a 
natural-born or naturalized subject, partaking 
of the nature of both. He may take lands 
by purchase; or derive a title by descent 
through his parents or any ancestor, though 
they be aliens. By stat. 25 Geo. II. c. 39, no 
natural-born subject shall derive a title 
through an alien parent or ancestor, unless 
he be born at the time of the death of the an- 
cestor, who dies seized of the estate which he 
claims by descent ; with this exception, that 
if a descent shall be cast upon a daughter of 
an alien, it shall be divested in favour of an 
after-born son, and in case of an after-born 
daughter or daughter only, all the sisters 
shall be coparceners. The children born 
previous to the denization of their parent 
cannot inherit by descent, whilst those of a 
foreigner naturalized are in every respect 
entitled to the same privileges as British sub- 
jects. See Alien. 
DENOMINATOR, in arithmetic, a term 
used in speaking of fractions. The denomi- 
nator of a fraction is the number below the 
line, shewing into how many parts the inte- 
ger is supposed to be divided. Thus in the 
fraction \, the number 4 shews that the in- 
teger is divided into four parts. So in the 
fraction — , b is the denominator. 
b 
Denominator of a ratio , is the quotient 
arising from the division of the antecedent by 
the consequent. Thus 8 is the denominator 
of the ratio 40 : 5, because 40 divided by 5 
gives 8 for a quotient. It is also called the 
exponent of a ratio. 
DENSITY of bodies, is that property di- 
rectly opposite to rarity, whereby they con- 
tain such a quantity of matter under such a 
bulk. Accordingly, a body is said to have 
double or triple the density ot another body, 
when their bulk being equal, the quantity ol 
matter in the one is double or triple the quan- 
tity of matter in the other. See Gravity. 
Density of the planets . In homogeneous, 
unequal, spherical bodies, the gravities on 
their surfaces are as their diameters when the 
densities are equal, or the gravities are as the 
densities when the bulks are equal ; there- 
fore, in spheres of unequal magnitude and 
density, the gravity is in the compound ratio 
of the diameters and densities, or the densi- 
ties are as the gravities divided by the dia- 
meters. Knowing therefore the diameters of 
the planets by observation and comparison, 
and the gravities at their surface by means ot 
the revolution of the satellites, the relation of 
their densities becomes known. And as the 
mean density of the earth is found to be 
about 4i times that of water (Philos. Trans. 
1778), hence the densities of the planets, with 
respec t to water, become known, and are as 
below'. 
Densities. 
Water - - 1 
The Sim - 1 75- 
Mercury - 9-f 
Venus - 5-ff 
The Earth - 4-i 
Mars 
3f 
The Moon 
- 3^ 
Jupiter 
- I2V 
Saturn 
°$* 
II erschel 
As it is not likely that any of these bodies 
are homogeneal, the densities here determin- 
ed are supposed to be the mean densities. 
DENTALIUM, in natural history, a ge- 
nus of the vermes testacea order. r I he shell 
has no hinge, and is formed only of one piece. 
The figure approaches to cylindric or co- 
nic ; and is sometimes crooked, sometimes 
straight, sometimes closed at one end, some- 
times open at botii ; its inhabitant is called 
nereis. There are eight species. The name 
dentalium has been given this shell, from the 
great resemblance it has to the dentes canini 
of quadrupeds. Several species of it fre- 
quent the shores of Italy, Portugal, &c. 
Among us they are found fossil in clay-pits, 
some smooth, some striated, but in much 
greater abundance in the mountains of France 
and Italy. 
DEN TART A, toothioort or tooth-violet, a 
genus of the siiiquosa order, in the tetrady- 
namia class of plants, and in the natural me- 
thod ranking under the 39th order, siliquosse. 
The siliqua parts with a spring, and the val- 
vules roll spirally backwards ; the stigma is 
emarginated, the calyx closing longitudi- 
nally. There are four species, hardy peren- 
nials; producing annual stalks 12 or 18 inches 
high, adorned with many-lobed leaves, and 
spikes of quadrupetalous crucitoim dowers of 
a red or purple colour. They delight in 
shady places, and are propagated either by 
seeds or parting the roots. 
DENTELLA, a genus of the monogvnia 
order, in the pentandria class ot plants, i he 
calvx is a live-parted perianthium, with small 
subulated leaves; the stamina five short su- 
bulated filaments; the anthers: small ; the pe- 
ricarpium a globular bilocular capsule ; the 
seeds egg-shaped, and very numerous. There 
is one species, a native of New Caledonia. 
DENTILES, or Dentils. See Archi- 
tecture. 
DENTITION, the breeding, or cutting, 
the teeth in children. Among all the disor- 
ders which afflict children, there are none that; 
generate such grievous symptoms as difficult 
dentition. About five or six months after 
birth, the teeth generally begin to make their 
appearance: first, the incisores, or fore-teeth; 
next, the canini, or dog-teeth ; and lastly, the 
molares, or grinders. About the seventh 
year there come a new set ; and at twenty- 
one the two inner grinders, called dentes sa- 
piential, or teeth of wisdom. See Anatomy, 
and Medicine. 
DENUNCIATION, a solemn publication 
or promulgation of any thing. All vessels ot 
enemies are lawful prize, after denunciation 
or proclamation of war. The design of the 
denunciation of excommunicated persons is, 
that the sentence may be the more fully exe- 
cuted by the person’s being more known. 
DEODAND, is where any moveable thing 
inanimate, or beast animate, moves or causes 
the death of any reasonable creature, by mis- 
chance, without the will or fault of himself, 
or of any person. 3 Inst. 57. Formerly 
wherever the thing which was the occasion 
of a man’s death was in motion at the time-, 
not only that part thereof which immediately 
wounded him, but all things which, moved to- 
gether with it, and helped to make the wound 
more dangerous, were forfeited also. 1 Haw- 
66. But juries have lately determined very 
differently. As these forfeitures seem to 
have been originally founded in the super- 
stition of an age of ignorance, they are now 
discountenanced in Westminster-hall. Fost. 
266. 
DE ONERANDA pro rata portio- 
ns, is a w rit that lies where one is distrained 
for a rent, that ought to be paid by others 
proportionably with him. 
Departure from a plea or matter, is where 
a man pleads a plea in bar of an action, which 
being replied to, he in his rejoinder shews 
another matter contrary to his first plea : this 
is called a departure from his bar. It may 
also be applied to a plaintiff, who in his re- 
plication shews new matter from his declara- 
tion. Plow. Com. 7, 8. Co. 2. par. fo. 1 47. 
DEPARTURE, in navigation, is the east- 
ing or westing of a ship in respect of the me- 
ridian. it departed or sailed from ; or it is the 
difference of longitude, either east or west, 
between the present meridian the ship is 
under, and that where the last reckoning or 
