DAT 
DAS 
involncre originating laterally from a vein, 
opening towards the margin. There are 
nine species. 
D.-VRII, in logic, one of the modes of 
syllogism of the tirst figure, wherein the 
major proposition is an universal affirma- 
tive, and the minor and conclusion particular 
affirmatives: thus, 
Da- Every thing that is moved is moved 
by another; 
HI- Some body is moved : 
I. Therefore some body is moved by 
another. 
DASYPUS, the armadillo, in natural 
history, a genus of Mammalia of the order 
Bruta. Generic character : no tusks ; grin- 
ders short and cylindrical, and seven or eight 
in each jaw ; body covered with a shelly 
armour, intersected by circles. These ani- 
mals chiefly inhabit South America, where 
they burrow like rabbits in the ground, and 
live principally upon roots and fruits. They 
exhibit a singular difference from other 
quadrupeds, in that testaceous substance 
which covers them completely, and yet is 
so admirably adapted to their frame by its 
minute intersections, as by no means to in- 
terfere with flexibility or quick movement. 
When attacked, they roll themselves up in- 
to the compactness of a ball; thus present- 
ing to the enemy almost impenetrable ar- 
mour. They repose by day, and at night 
quit their habitations for food. They are 
perfectly inoffensive, In a state of confine- 
ment they will devour with considerable 
appetite animal food, for which in a state of 
nature they do not appear to have any 
relish. They drink most copiously, and are 
often found extremely fat. They are re- 
garded as a very great luxury for the table, 
and are not unfrequently dug from their 
burrows to be sold for food : for this pur- 
pose, however, they should always be taken 
young. Their claws are of uncommon size 
and strength, and enable them to form their 
subterraneous habitations with extreme 
facility. Shaw reports, that the female 
produces three or four times in a year ; and 
Gmclin states, that she produces eveiy 
month. It is ascertained, therefore, that 
they are highly prolific. It is the practice 
of naturalists to define the different species 
by the different number of testaceous circles 
in the body. Gmelin enumerates ten 
species, and Shaw six. This extraordinai;y 
variety among quadnipeds deserves the 
particular attention of naturalists, who do 
not appear to tave so. clearly defined the 
several species, or to have collected so ma- 
ny particulars of the manners and habita 
of the animal in general as its most singular 
structure excites a desire to he informed of. 
DATA, among mathematicians, a term 
for such things or quantities as are given or 
known, in order to find other things there- 
by that are unknown. Euclid uses the 
word data (of which he hath a particular 
tract) for such spaces, lines, and angles as 
are given in magnitude, or to which we can 
assign others equal. The data of Euclid is 
the first in order of the books that have 
been written by the ancient mathematici- 
ans, to facilitate and promote the method of 
resolution and analysis. In algebra, the 
given quantities, or data, are expressed by 
the first lettei-s of the alphabet, and the un- 
known quantities by the last letters ; thus; 
if the problem be, from the sum and pro- 
duct of two quantities given, to find the 
quantities themselves, the quantities are 
represented by y and z ; and y -j- z = « the 
sum given, and y %=.b, the product given. 
From the primary use of the word data in 
mathematics, it has been transplanted into 
other arts, where it expresses any quantity 
which, for the sake of a present calculation, 
is assumed as true, without stopping to give 
a proof of it, called also the given quantity, 
number, or power. Hence also such things 
as are known are now frequently by physi- 
cal writers denominated data. 
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 
other writing was made. Anciently 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 be wrong, it shall 
not hurt the same. A deed is good, though 
it has no date of the day, or if that be mis- 
taken, or though it contains an impossible 
date ; but then he that pleads such a deed 
must set forth the time when it was deliver- 
ed ; for every deed or writing has a date in 
law, and that is the day of tlie 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. 
In letters, it is usually written in figures. 
An ante-date is a date prior to the real 
time when the instrument was signed. 
A post-date is that posterior to the real 
time when the instrument was passed. 
DATE. See Phcenix. 
DATISCA, in botany, a genus of the’ 
