DIS 
brought to the General, after having been 
found by a labourer, whose spade stijick 
against a substance about the size of a 
cricket ball, which, on examination, was 
found to inclose a jerboa, completely rolled 
up, and in a state of torpor. The ball was 
found about a foot and a half under the sur- 
face of the ground, was perfectly smooth 
internally, and about an inch in thickness. 
This case, which was composed of clay, 
was somewhat mutilated by the acciden- 
tal blow of the workman, but was depo- 
sited by the General, with its contents, 
in his room, in a small box supplied 
with some cotton, in hopes that, as the 
warm season advanced, the animal would 
revive fiom its suspended vitality. This 
hope, however, was not gratified. As the 
jerboa is not seen in Canada from October 
till May, it may be concluded that it passes 
the winter in this curious envelope. See 
Mammalia, Plate IX. fig. 6. 
DIRCA, in botany, a genus of the Oc- 
tandria Monogynia class and order. Natu- 
ral order of Vepreculae. Thymelaeae^ Jussieu. 
Essential character; calyx none; corolla 
tubulous, wdth an obscure border; stamina 
longer than the tube; berry one-seeded. 
There is only one species, viz. D. palustris, 
marsh-leatherwood, a native of North Ame- 
rica. 
DIRECTION, in mechanics, signifies 
the line or path of a body’s motion, along 
which it endeavours to proceed, according 
to the force impressed upon it. 
DIRECTOR, in commercial polity, a 
person who has the management of the af- 
fairs of a trading company ; thus we say, 
the directors of the India company. South- 
sea company, &c. 
Director, in surgery, a grooved probe, 
to direct the edge of the knife or scissars, 
in opening sinuses, or fistulse, that by this 
means the subjacent vessels, nerves, and 
tendons may remain pnhurt. 
DIRGE, in music, a solemn and mourn- 
ful composition performed at funeral pro- 
cessions. The dirge was in very general use 
with the ancients, and was numerously fil- 
led both by voices and instruments. 
DIRIGENT, or directrix, a term in geo- 
metry, signifying the line of motion, along 
which the describent line or surface is car- 
ried in the genesis of any plane or solid fi- 
gure. 
DIS, an inseparable particle prefixed to 
divers words, the effect whereof is either to 
give them a signification contrary to what 
DIS 
the simple words have, as disoblige, disobey, 
&c. or to sigEh> a separation, detachment, 
&c. as disposing, distributing, &c. 
DISA, in botanj , a genus of tlie Gynan- 
dria Diandria class a.>u order. Natural or- 
der of Orchidem. Essential character: 
spatlie one-valved ; petals three, two-part- 
ed, gibbous at the base. There are four 
species. These are all natives of the Cape. 
DISABILITY, r,i incapacity in a man 
to inherit or tak a benefit which otherwise 
he might have done, which may happen 
four ways ; by the act of the ancestor, by 
the act of the party, by the act of law, and 
by the act of God. i. Disability by the 
act of the ancestor; as, if a man be attaint- 
ed of treason or felony ; by this attainder 
his blood is corrupt, and himself and his 
thildren disabled to inherit. 2. Disability 
by the act of the party himself ; as if one 
make a feoffment to another who then is 
sole, upon condition that he shall enfeoff a 
third before marriage, and before the feoff- 
ment made, the feoffee takes a wife ; he 
hath by that disabled himself to perform 
the condition according to the trust re- 
posed in him, and therefore the feoffer may 
enter and oust him. 3. Disability by act 
of law, is when a man by the sole act of the 
law is disabled, as an alien born, &c. 4. Dis- 
ability by the act of God, is where a person 
is of non-sane memory, and in cases of 
idiocy, &c. But it is a maxim in our law 
that a man of full age shall never be re- 
ceived to disable his own person. 
DISANDRA, in botany, a genus of the 
Heptandria Monogynia class and order. 
Natural order of Pediculares, Jussieu. Es- 
sential character: calyx seven-leaved; co- 
rolla-seven-parted, flat; capsule two-celled. 
There are two species, viz. D. prostrata" 
trailing disandria, and D. africana; the 
former a native of Madeira, the latter of 
Africa. 
DISC, in astronomy, the body and face 
of the sun and moon, such as it appears to 
us on the eartli ; or the body or face of the 
earth, such as it appears to a spectator in 
the moon, &c. The disc in eclipses is sup- 
posed to be divided into twelve equal parts 
called digits : in a total eclipse of the lumi- 
naries, the whole disc is obscured; in a 
partial eclipse, only a part thereof. 
DISCORD, in music, a dissonant and 
inliarmonioHs combination of sounds so 
called in opposition to the concord. Among 
various other discords are those formed by 
the union of the fifth with the sixth, the 
fourth with the fifth, the seventh with the 
