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LEFT DACCA 244 D^DALTJS in 1869, he studied in France, Spain, and Italy. After executing some mural paintings for churches in New York he turned his attention to landscape paint- ing, in which field he did nearly all his best work. His favorite subject was the Hudson, and the shores of Staten Island, Among his important creations were: "Nocturnal Fetes on the Hudson," "Dawn beyond the Hudson," and "The Rocket." His work is represented in many public and private galleries both in the United States and abroad. DACCA, a city of Bengal, in the di- vision and district of the same name, 150 miles N. E. of Calcutta; on the N. bank of the Buriganga; occupies an area of 8 square miles, and consists of a dull es- planade and one long street meeting at right angles, with a complementary net- work of narrow, crooked lanes. Its posi- tion commands the principal waterways of the delta, and it thus enjoys singular facilities in the way of inland navigation. On this account it v/as chosen, about 1610, as the seat of the Mohammedan government of Bengal, which rank it re- tained, except during an interval of 20 years, until 1704. The suburbs extended 15 miles N., where mosques and brick buildings are still found buried in thick jungle. In the 18th century it became widely celebrated for the delicate texture of ^ its muslins, and in connection with this manufacture the French and the Dutch, as well as the English, had ex- tensive establishments in the place. After 1817, however, the annual value of the trade declined, and the aspect of the city changed with the disastrous decay of its staple industry. Since 1872 the fortunes of Dacca have somewhat bright- ened; the general development of trade throughout the presidency has brought back a share of its former prosperity, and the opening of the Dacca and Mai- mansingh State Railway in 1886 notably increased the transit trade. Besides the Dacca College (1835), there are many good schools, and a fine hospital; in 1878 a system of water-works was opened, and the sanitary condition has since im- proved. Pop. about 125,000. DACHSHUND (daks'hont), a name adopted from the German, signifying "badger-dog." The dachshund has been common in Germany for many years, but was unknown in England until intro- duced by the late Prince Consort toward the middle of the 19th century; it then became very fashionable and popular. The dachshund is a small dog, weighing about 20 pounds, with short crooked fore- legs, and an extremely long body, its head rather resembling that of a miniature bloodhound. Its strong, large paws en- able it to dig rapidly. Its color should be black and tan, or brown. DACIA (da'shya), a large tract of the Roman empire beyond the Danube; now comprising Moldavia, Wallachia, and por- tions of Transylvania and Hungary. Prior to Constantine the Great, the whole tract was divided into Trojan Dacia and Aurelian Dacia. The former, or Dacia proper, was situated N., the latter S., of the Danube. The country was inhabitec by the Daci or Dacae, a warlike nation o. German origin, who, after a heroic resist- ance, continued for upward of 75 years, were finally conquered by Trajan (a. d. 105) whereupon the entire region became a Roman province. In 270-275 the Ro- mans abandoned the country to the Goths. In 453, Ardaric, King of the Gepidse, seized the country, and in 566 it was conquered by a colony of Scythians. DA COSTA, JACOB MENDEZ, an American physician and educator; born in St. Thomas, W. I., Feb. 7, 1833. He was graduated at Jefferson Medical Col- lege in 1852, practicing in Philadelphia. In 1863 he became Lecturer in Jefferson Medical College, in 1872 Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine there, and in 1891 Professor Emeritus. In 1895 he was chosen president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Philadelphia. He vsnrote "Harvey and his Discovery," "Medical Diagnosis," etc. He died in 1900. D^DALTJS (de'da-lus or ded'a-lus), a figure in Greek mythology who personi- fied the beginning of the arts of sculp- ture and architecture. He was of the old Athenian royal race of the Erechtheidas. Having killed his nephew and pupil in envy at his growing skill, he had to flee to Crete where he made the well-known cow for Queen Pasiphae, and afterward for King Minos the famous labyrinth to confine the Minotaur. Minos next im- prisoned Daedalus, but he escaped with the help of Pasiphae, and formed wings for himself and his son Icarus, with which to fly across the sea. He himself flew safe across the .^gean, but unhap- pily Icarus flew too near the sun, the heat of which melted the wax that fast- ened his wings to him, so that he dropped into the sea, and left his name to be borne by that part of the JEgean into which he fell. Daedalus made his way to Sicily. Some accounts made him first alight at Cumse in Italy, where he dedi- cated his wings to Apollo. Works of art were freely ascribed to Daedalus in Greece, Italy, Libya, and the Mediterra- nean islands. The name Daedala was ap- plied to the earlier painted and gilded wooden statues of the gods.