DAV 
DAY 
T)ioecia Dodecandria class and order. Es- 
sential character : male, calyx five-leaved ; 
corolla none ; anthers sessile, long, fifteen : 
female, calyx two-toothed ; corolla none ; 
styles three ; capsule triangular, three-horn- 
ed, ono-celled, pervious, many-seeded, infe- 
rior. There are two species ; viz. D. can- 
nabina, smooth stalked bastard hetiip, found 
in Candia; and D. hirta, rough stalked bas- 
tard hemp, a native of Pennsylvat)ia. These 
are tall upright herbs, with alternate un- 
equally pinnate leaves. The flowers are in 
spiked racemes, axillary, with one bracte ; 
the flower is apetalous ; fruit is inferior, and 
contains many seeds. 
DATISI, in logic, a mode of syllogisms 
in the third figure, wherein the major is an 
universal affirmative, and the minor and 
conclusion particular affirmative proposi- 
tions. For example. 
Da- All who serve God are kings ; 
Ti- Some who serve God are poor ; 
SI. Therefore some who are poor are 
kings. 
DATURA, in botany, English thorn-ap- 
ple, a genus of the Pentandria Moiiogynia 
class and order. Natural order of Lurida;. 
Solanem, Jus.sieii. Essential character : co- 
rolla funnel-form, plaited ; calyx tubular, 
angular, deciduous ; capsule four-valved. 
There are eight species ; these are all herbs 
and annual, excepting one ; the flowers and 
branches are solitary, they have a strong 
narcotic smell ; most of the species, coming 
from hot countries, require the protection 
of a stove or glass case. 
DAVALLIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Cryptogamia, Filices. Fructifica in roundish 
distinct dots near the margin ; involucre 
membraneous from the. surface, lialf-hooded, 
distinct, somewhat truncate, opening to- 
ward the margin. There are eighteen 
species. 
DAVIESIA, in botany, a genus of the 
Decandria Monogynia class and order. 
Calyx angular, simple, five-cleft ; corolla 
papilionaceous; stigma simple, acute; le- 
gume compressed, one-seeded. One species, 
D. australasia, described by Dr. Smith in 
the fourth Vol. of the “ Linn.Transactions.” 
DAVIT, in a ship, that short piece of 
timber, with a notch at one end, wherein, 
by a strap, hangs the fish-block. The use 
of this block is to help up the fluke of the 
anchor, and to fasten it at the ship’s bow', 
or loof. The davit is shiftable from one 
side of the ship to the other, as there is oc- 
casion. "niere is also a smalt davit in the 
ship’s boat, that is set over her head with 
a shiver, in which is brought the buoy rope, 
wherewith to weigh the anchor; it is made 
fast to the cartings in the boat’s bow. 
DAUCUS, in botany, English carrot, a 
genus of the Pentandria Digynia class and 
order. Natural order of Umbellatae. Es- 
sential character : corolla subradiate, all 
hermaphrodite; fruit hispid, with hairs. 
There are seven species, of which we shall 
mention D. carota, wild carrot, or birds 
nest, this in its wild state has a slender, 
hard, brownish, fusiform root; the stem is 
two feet high, upright, grooved, with alter- 
nate branches, which are long, commonly 
from six to ten inches ; they have one leaf 
except the primary or terminating one, 
which is naked ; and have a single umbel of 
flowers at top; the universal umbel has 
sometimes from thirty to forty unequal 
rays ; the middle rays being very short, the 
outer ones above an inch tong ; the flowers 
are white, those in the middle tinged with 
purple, these are fertile, those in the cir- 
cumference, which are irregular and larger, 
are frequently neuter, or have pistils only : 
the fruit is spheroidal, composed of plano- 
convex seeds, on tlie back of which are four 
membranaceous narrow crests, pectinated 
with linear, setaceous, innocuous, flexible 
teeth. The carrot, is commonly cultivated 
in gardens for the kitchen; the different 
varieties of it are, in some places, esteemed, 
in London the orange carrot is preferred to 
all others. 
DAY. In common language, the day is 
the interval of time which elapses from the 
rising to the setting of the sun ; the night is 
the interval that the siiii continues below 
the horizon. The astronomical day em- 
braces the whole Interval which passes dur- 
ing a complete revolution of the sun. It is 
tlie interval of time which passes from it 
o’clock at noon till the next succeeding 
noon. It begins when the sun’s centre is 
on the meridian of that place. It is divided 
into 24 hours, reckoning in a numerical suc- 
cession from 1 to 24: the first 12 are some- 
times distinguished by the mark P. M. sig- 
nifying post meridiem, or afternoon ; and 
the latter 12 are marked A.M. signifying 
ante meridiem, or before noon. But astro- 
nomers generally reckon through the 24 
hours from noon to noon , and what are by 
the civil or common W’ay of reckoning call- 
ed morning hours, are by astronomers rec- 
koned in the succession from It, or mid- 
night to 24 hours. Thus, 9 o’clock in the 
morning of February 14th, is, by astrono-. 
