Dasyproctidae 
the former of which contains the paca alone 
(<'. i>ni'ii), the latter the agoutis. Tin- mills .,f tin' 
feet are hoof- like ; tin: Eon feat are 6*( I; tin- hind I'cet 
have iilso fi toes (paca), or only :! (agoutis) ; tin- tail is rn- 
iliincntary or very short, ; the car* an- low ; ami tin- upper 
li|> is not cleft, Contrary to tin- rule in tin 1 hjslricinc 
Series of rollelltS, till- clavicles a IT rudimentary: allcltlle 
molar teeth arc- sc'lni-rool.-.l. an-l tile- incisors ionu. The 
llimi/liriK'titlinuv related to I lie' c-avics ami eUnehUU* (cMcB 
riii'tt ami i-ltiiif/iitlii)-, they arc? conllned to the Nentiopi 
eal region, inhabiting parts of Mexico, some ol' tin- \\e-l 
IndiM, and UM greater pan of .souih A nca, especially 
wooded ami \vatcreil localities. Sec cuts under QjpMBI 
ami Ca'liHfi'nil*. 
Dasypus (ilas'i-pus), n. [ML., < Gr. fiaaiirovf, 
liairy- or rough-footed; used only as a noun, a 
hare, rabbit ; < <iuo-iV, hairy, rough, + m>i><; (Trod-) 
= K. foot.} A. mentis of arina<liilos, formerly 
conterminous wil.h the family Dcuypodida, now 
restricted to certain species of the subfamily 
liiixyiindiiiie (which see). See also cut under 
aniiadilln. 
Dasyrhampb.US(<las-i-r;tm't'iis), n. [NL. (Hom- 
bron and JMqninot. 1846), < Gr. fiaai-f, shaggy, 
hairy, + i>a/apuf, beak, snout.] A genns of pen- 
guins, of the family K/iltfiiitiriiln: : so called from 
having the bill extcnsivelyfeathercd. The only 
species is l>. adi-lin; of the antarctic seas. 
dasytes (das'i-te/.), H. [NL., < Gr. daoimK, hairi- 
ness, roughness, < tiaai'f, hairy, rough : see Da- 
sya.] 1. In sool., hairiness; hirsutenessj a 
growth of hair on some part not usually hairy. 
2. [cap.'] In entorn., a genus of beetles, of 
the family Clerida: 
dasyure (das'i-ur), n. [< Uatiyurus,] An ani- 
mal of the subfamily Dasyuriiue. Thylaclne 
dasyure. See ThyUwimt* and thylaciiie, n. Ursine 
dasyure, the Tasmania!! devil. See SarcuphiiuN. 
Dasyuridae (das-i-u'ri-de), n. pi. [NL., < Daxy- 
urus + -J<te.] A family of polyprotodont mar- 
supial mammals. They have 4 incisors in each half 
of the upper and 3 in each half of the lower jaw ; the 
canines well developed ; the hind feet with the clawlcss 
hallnx small and rudimentary, rarely apposable; the 
limbs of proportionate length ; the stomach simple ; and 
no eiecum. They are predatory carnivorous or insectivo- 
rous marsupials of Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and 
some other islands. They are divided into the two sub- 
families Dtwifiii-intK and Mifriiwiibitiut'. These animals 
are sometimes known indiscriminately as hrnsh-ttlilcd 
O[IOSSUms. 
Dasyurinse (das"i-u-ri'ne), n. i>l. [NL. ; < Itaxi/- 
urus + -two;.] A subfamily of D<usyurid<e ; the 
dasyures. The tongue is not specially extensile, and 
the premolars and molars are not more than 7 in number ; 
in these respects the subfamily is contrasted with Miir- 
inecotfiintK (which see). The leading genera are Dtinyuru*, 
Sarcophilun, and Thi/laci'iut*, or the true, the ursine, ami 
the thylaeine dasyures, and Phaxcnijale ; the last is proper- 
ly made the type of a different subfamily, PhaKcwjaliiw!. 
dasyurine (das-i-u'rin), a. Pertaining to or 
having the characters of the Dasyurirue or 
Daxyuridte. 
Dasyurus (das-i-u'rus), n. [NL., < Gr. Saaif. 
hairy, rough, + oi'/ta, tail.] The typical genus 
of the subfamily Dasyuriiue, formerly coexten- 
sive with the subfamily, now restricted by the 
exclusion of Thylacinus and Sarcophilus. The 
true dasyures of the restricted genus mostly inhabit Aus- 
tralia und Tasmania, where they replace the smaller prccl- 
Spotted Dasyure (Dasyurus maculatus}. 
atory carnivorous quadrupeds of other countries, sueh 
as cuts ami mustelines and viverrines. There are several 
species. The dental formula is : 4 incisors in each half of 
the upper and :; in each half of the lower jaw; 1 canine, 2 
premolars, ami 4 molars ill each half jaw. The vertebral 
formula is: cervical, 1 ; dorsal. l:j; lumbar, 0; sacral. -1; 
c-audal, IS or more. The fore feet are 5-toed, hut the hal- 
lnx is absent from the hind ted. 
dat. An abbreviation of (latin-. 
data, Plural of dat inn. 
datable ( da 'ta-bl), a. [<dafel,., + -aMe.l Ca- 
pable of being dated. Also spelled datcalilt . 
The earliest riatrablr coins aiv from Sicily, tin 1 vary- 
ing fortunes of the Sicilian wars making possible certain 
chronological inferences. 
Isaac Tallin-, The Alphabet, I. 22S. 
dataler (da'ta-ler), . [E. dial., also written 
dataller: see 'day/alrr. ] Same as day/iili-i: 
datary 1 (da'ta-ri). .; pi. diitiirifx (-rfas). [= 
P. datairv = Sp. Pg It. datario. < AIL. datariun. 
1461 
a datary (see def.), lit. a dater (so called be- 
cause he elates and despatches otliciul docu- 
ments), prop, adj., relating to dates, < data, iln- 
liini, a date: see i/KcY 1 , .] An oflieer of the 
chancery at Koine, who directly represents the 
pope in all matters relating to grants, dispen- 
sations, etc. All petitions pass through hi.- hands; he 
has the right of granting benctlces not e\ec .dim; an an- 
nual value of -24 ducats ; and with him solel) n -ts the duty 
of resist.'] in- and dating all bulls and other documents 
is-ncd horn the Vatican. He is generally a bishop, and 
is assisted by a sulidatarv, Mini is also in holy "piers. 
When a cardinal i- dec ted to tin cillicc of datary he bean 
the title of fn:.<I. ihii', I. See , l.itflnf'- . 
datary- (da'ta-ri), n. [= F~. dateriv = Sp. data- 
ritt Pg. dataria = It. dataria, dateria, < ML. dn- 
taria, the coffico or business of a datarv, prop, 
fern, of adj. ilatiiriiix: see ilahtryl.] The office 
or duty of dating and despatching papal docu- 
ments ; specifically, a branch of the Curia at 
Home, established about the end of the thir- 
teenth century by Poi>e Boniface VIII., for the 
purpose of dating, registering, and despatching 
all bulls and documents issued by the pope, 
examining and reporting upon petitions, etc., 
and granting favors and dispensations um let- 
certain conditions and limitations. See datary 1 . 
I or riches, besides the temporal dominions, he (Plus 
V. ] hath in all the countries before-named the datary or 
dispatching of Bulls. llomll, Letters, I. i. 88. 
date 1 (dat), n. [< ME. date, < OF. date, F. datr 
= Sp. Pg. It. data, < Hii. data, f., also datum, 
neut. (> D. G. Dan. Sw. datum), date, note of 
time and place, so called from L. datum, 
given, the first word of the customary note in 
letters or documents giving the place and time 
of writing or issue, as datum lionta", given at 
Borne (on such a day); fern, or neut. of L. 
datus, given (= Gr. dor6f), pp. of dare = Gr. 
Si66vai, 2d aor. Aoitvai (Aifuui, I give) = OBulg. 
iluli = Slov. Scrv. dati = Pol. dac = Kuss. dati, 
duratf = Lith. duti = Lett, dot = Skt. / da, 
give (daddmi, I give). From L. dare, pp. datus, 
come also E. date'*, datum, dado, and rfjcs (doub- 
lets of date 1 ), datary, dation, dative, and from 
the same root (from L. donare) donate, doiiatice, 
condone, etc.] 1. That part of a writing or 
an inscription which purports to specify the 
time when, and usually the place where, it was 
executed. A full date includes the place, day, month, 
and year ; but in some cases the date may consist of only 
one or two of these particulars, as the year on a coin. In 
letters the date is inserted to indicate the time when they 
are written or sent ; in deeds, contracts, wills, and other 
papers, to indicate the time of execution, and usually the 
time from which they are to take effect on the rightaof the 
parties ; lint the written date does not exclude evidence 
of the real time of execution or delivery, and consequent 
taking effect. In documents the date is usually placed at 
the end, but may be at the beginning, as it is now gener- 
ally in letters. 
This Deed may bear an elder Date than what you have 
obtaiu'd from your Lady. 
Conyreoe, Way of the" World, v. 13. 
2. The time, with more or less particularity, 
when some event has happened or is to happen : 
as, the date of a battle ; the dates of birth aud 
death on a monument; the date of Easter va- 
ries from year to year, or is variable. 3. Point 
or period of time in general: as, at that early 
date. 4. A season or allotted period of time. 
Then ever shall, while dates of times remain. 
The heavens thy soul, the earth thy fame contain. 
Font, Fame's Memorial. 
Your Date of Deliberation, Madam, is expir'd. 
Conyreve, Way of the World, v. 10. 
When your date is over, 
Peacefully ye fade. 
n. T. Coote, Daisies. 
5. Age ; number of years. 
When his date 
Doubled her own, for want of plavmates, he ... 
Had tost his ball, and Mown his kite, and rolfd 
HU hoop to pleasure Edith. 
7V/< iiijson, A i liner's Field. 
6. Duration ; continuance. 
A-es of endless date. Milton, V. L., xii. 549. 
We say that Learning's endless, and blame Fate 
For not allowing Life a longer Dtit?. 
c.,id,;j, Death of Sir Henry Woottou. 
7. End; conclusion. [Bare.] 
" \Vliy stande ge ydel" he sayde to thoa, 
Ne knawe 36 of this day no <tattt 
Alliteratiee / > oem(E. E. T. S.), i. 515. 
Yet hath the lonKest day his ifci-iv. 
'l'a in in : > / (i Shr.-ii- (Child's Ballads, VIII. 185). 
What time would spare, from steel receives its C/IY. 
Popt, R. of the L.. iii. 171. 
8f. A day-book, journal, or diary. Minahfu. 
Date Certaine, in l-'i-u>-lt fnir, the .late tKnl \\heli the 
instrument has been subjected t<> the li'iniality of regis- 
tration, after which the parties tn the deeil cannot by mu- 
tual consent chanae the date. Down to date, up to 
date, t'i the present time. 
date-line 
So of Nil ....... n in reference to Kcholioam, ami of c\, iv 
father in refer* Hi c to c\en son. n;> In .l,il,'. 
H'. M. liub-i; New Timothy, p. i::c;. 
Out Of date, no Imc.-cr in use or in vo|<ue ; oluolctc ; <nit 
-n | nlil fashioned. 
In rarlialnent his jl'.lllkesl elm|llenec \vas "lit <! .Int. 
A young generation, which knew him not. had tilled the 
liotue. Mai-nxln<i, Uallell Hastings 
No tlower-Kirls ill the' market, 
For tlouers arc- <"il <..! .Lit. _ 
H. II. .VtWc/cn-c/, 1'crsian Scums. 
To bear date. See /../!. To make dates, to make 
apjMiintmc-nts. (ci) For the ]M-rformances of a thc:itnra] 
i '.miiany. (t>) Kor secret meetings, cspec ially for an im 
moral purpose; make assignation-. 
date 1 (dat), r. ; pret. and pp. dated, ppr. ilatinq. 
[= F. dater = 8p. Pg. datar = It. datare, < ML. 
datare, note the date, < data, datum, date: see 
date 1 , .] I. trans. 1. To mark with a date, 
as a letter or other writing. See date 1 , n., 1. 
They say that women and music should never i,. .lut, .1 . 
i;.,l:/,i,,,i/,, sin- stoops to t'onc|iier, 111. 
A letter was received from him. . . . il.ii.-.l at a small 
Dutch village on the banks of the Hudson. 
Irriun, KnickcrlKjfker, p. 22. 
2. To note or fix the time of, as of an event or 
transaction ; assign a date or time of occurrence 
to : as, to date an event in ancient history. 
I date from this era the corrupt method of education 
among us. Swift, Modern Fxlucatioli. 
II. in trans. 1. To have a date: as, the letter 
dates from Borne. See L, 1. 2. To have begin- 
ning ; derive origin. 
The Batavian republic datr* from the successes of the 
French anus. K. Everett. 
3. To use a date in reckoning; reckon from 
some point in time. 
We . 
years. 
. date from the late .1 1 a of almut six thousand 
Rrntley. 
date 2 t (dat), n. [< ME. date, dat = Sp. dado, m., 
= Pg. dada, f., = It. data, m., < L. datum (= Gr. 
Aorov), neut., usually in pi., also data, fetn., a 
grant, allowance, gift, tribute, lit. a thing given, 
neut. and fern, of L. datutt, given : see rfate", and 
datum, of which date? is a doublet.] A grant; 
concession; gift. 
II \s fadres sepulture for to pronyde ; 
Entered in Abhay of the Moiite-serrat, 
That place augmented passingly that .I"/, 
And rentid gretly to the house encresse. 
Jtom. of Parlenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 5299. 
date 3 (dat), n. [< ME. date, < OF. date, also da- 
til, datille, F. datte = Pr. da til, daetil = Sp. ddtil 
= Pg. datile = It. dattilo, dattero (cf. D. dadel 
= G. dattel = Dan. duddel = Sw. dadel, from 
OF. or It.) = Pol. Bohera. daktyl, < L. dactylus 
(NL. also, after Rom., datalutt), < Gr. daKnAof, 
a date, so called from its shape, lit. a linger. 
also a dactyl: see dactyl, a doublet of rfafc 3 .] 
The fruit of the date-palm, I'lteenix dactylifera, 
used extensively as an article of food by the 
natives of northern Africa and of some coun- 
tries of Asia. It U an oblong drupe, which contains a 
single seed, consisting of a hard horny albumen deeply 
grooved on one side. See date-ptilut. 
Z>o(ecaptwithmyncedgynger, . . . they ben agreable. 
Halve* Bavli (E. E. T. S.), p. 280. 
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry. 
Shak., K. and i., iv. 4. 
dateable, n. See datable. 
da teatro (da ta-ii'tro). [It.: da, < L. de, of; 
teatro, < L. theatrum, theater.] In music, a di- 
rection signifying that a piece is to be played 
or performed in a theatrical style. 
dateless (dat'les), a. [< date 1 + -less.] 1. 
Having no date ; bearing nothing to indicate 
its date. 2. Not distinguishable or divisible 
by dates ; without incident ; eventless. 
Then can I drown an eye, unused to tlow, 
For precious friends hid in death's datelem night. 
Shak., Sonnets, xxx. 
To divide our otherwise datekx*, monotonous, stale life 
into refreshing changes of chapters, paragraphs, verses, 
and clauses. Boardwaii, Creative Week, p. 141). 
3. So old or far distant in time as to be undat- 
able ; of indefinitely long duration. 
In the primeval age a datelr** while 
The vacant shepherd wander d with his flock. 
Cottrktijf, Religious Musings. 
The dateleai hills, which it needed earthquakes to lift 
and deluges to mould. lin^in. 
date-line (diit'lin), n. The boundary-line be- 
tween neighboring regions where the calendar 
day is different. This line runs through the Pai -ihv 
ocean, and is snp|M>sed to coincide with the meridian of 12 
hours or 180" from Greenwich ; but it practically follows 
a somewhat devious course, and is sometimes confused. 
Thus the Sundays of the Russian and of the American set- 
tlers in Alaska foriiierly fell upon different days. On the' 
east of the date-line- the nominal date ia one day earlier 
than on the- west of it; so that the American Sunday in 
Alaska coincides with the former Russian Monday. 
