DMM 
DAL 
D. 
D Oae of the letters of tlie alphabet, 
j the fourth ia order, and the third 
consonant. It is formed in the voice, by 
applying the top of the tongue to the fore- 
part of the palate, and then separating them 
with a gentle gust of the breath, the lips 
being at the same time open, 
As a numeral D denotes 500 ; and with 
a dash over it, thus d”, 5000. Used in ab- 
breviation, it has various significations : 
thus, D. stands for doctor, as M. D. doctor 
of medicine ; D. T. doctor of theology ; 
D. D. signifies doctor of divinity ; D. D. D. 
is used for dat, dicat, dedicat; and 
D. D. D. D. for dignum deo donum dedit, 
DAB. See Pleuronectes. 
DACE, a species of Cyprinns, 
dactyl, in ancient poetry, a metrical 
foot, consisting of one long and two short 
syllables, as raurmure. The dactyl and 
spondee are the only feet or measures used 
in hexameter verses; the former being esr 
teemed more sprightly, and the lattei moje 
solemn and grave, 
DACTYLIOMANCY, a sort of divina- 
tion, performed by means of a ring ; con- 
sisting chiefly jn holding the ring suspended 
by a fine thread oyer a round table, on the 
edge whereof were made several marks 
with the twenty-four letters of the alpha- 
bet; and as the ring, in shaking or vi- 
brating over the table, happened to stop 
over certain of the letters, these being 
joined together composed the answer re- 
quired. 
DACTYLIS, in botany, a genus of the 
Triandria Digynia class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Grasses, Essential character : 
calyx two-valved, compressed ; one valve 
larger, keeled. There are seven species, 
of which D, cynosuroides, American cock’s- 
foot grass is a perennial, and a native of 
Virginia and Canada, The culms are two 
feet high and reedy ; leaves on the culm 
six, broad, very glossy, scabrous about the 
edge, bent in ; spikes six or more, diverg- 
ing, chaffy ; calyxes one flowered, scabrous 
on the keel, mucronate ; pistils villose, very 
long, 
DiEMON, a name given by the ancients 
to certain spirits, or genii, which, they 
say, appeared to men, either to do them 
service or to injure them, The Platonistg 
distinguish between gods, daemons, and he- 
roes. The gods are those whom Cicero 
calls Dii majorum gentium. The daemons 
are those whom we call angels. Christians 
by the word daemon, understand generally 
evil spirits ; but the late learned Mr. Hugh 
Farmer has investigated the subject with 
the utmost care, and shews upon seemingly 
incontestible evidence that the word is ap- 
plied always to human spirits. From the 
arguments adduced by the same author, it 
should appear, that all persons spoken of as 
possessed with devils in the New Fesfa- 
ment, were either deranged or epileptic, 
and in the same condition with madmen 
and epileptics of modern days. 
DAFFODIL, the same with the narcis- 
sus of botanists. 
DAGYSA, in natural history, a genus of 
the Vermes Molhisca. Generic character i 
body loose, nayant, angular, tubular, and 
open at each extremity. One species, nr. 
D. notata, found in the Spanish sea, is 
about three inches long and one thick. 
Body marked -at one end with a brown 
spot. This genus is very like the Salpa, 
wliich see. 
DAIRY. See Agriculture. 
DAIS, in botany, a genus of the Decan- 
dria Monogynia class and order. Natural 
order of Veprcculas. Thymelaese, Jussieu. 
Essential character : involucre four-leaved ; 
corolla four or five-cleft ; berry one-seeded. 
'I'here are three species, of which D. coti- 
nifolia, cotinus-leaved dais, is an ornamen- 
tal green-house shrub, of the deciduou.s 
kind, not having yet produced any perfect 
seeds here, as it does in Holland, it keeps 
up a very high prii^e aqipng nursery-men. 
.DAISY- SeeBjSLLis. 
DALBERGIA, in botany, a genus of 
the Diadelphia Decandria class and order. 
Natural order of Papilionaceat, or Legumi- 
nossE. ^Issential character : filaments two, 
four^cleft at top. Fruit pedicelled, not 
opening, leguminose, membranaceous, com- 
pressed. There are two species, viz. D. lan- 
ceolaria and D. monetaria ; the former is a 
native of Malabar and Ceylon, the latter of 
Surinam, in moist places. 
DALECHAMPIA, in botany, so called 
