Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/93

 DIATOMACE^E merged stone, or twig, or spear of grass, in the early days of spring. Among the groups with vittate or ribbon-like fronds, we may notice stri- atella arcuata, occurring in vast quantities on DIBDIN 85 1. Bacillaria paradoxa. 2. 3. Meridion vernale. the filiform marine algaa, and covering them so much oftentimes as to make them glitter in the sunbeams as if invested with crystals. In still another natural group, where the striae are no longer visible in the frustules or fronds, we find a multitude of microscopic objects, furnishing sources for fresh admiration whenever they are examined. In some of these the fronds, which are disciform, are marked with radiating lines, of which coscinodiscus, very common in a fossil state in the Richmond earth and elsewhere, is most beautiful. In G. lineatus the cellules of the frond form parallel lines in whatever direc- tion they may be viewed, and G. oculus iridis gives curious colored rings. When perfect, the disk of coscinodiscus is covered with circular spots in rows corresponding with the radii. In consequence of this arrangement they also form beautiful spiral rows in other directions, so that the curves present no inconsiderable resem- blance to patterns produced by engine-turn- at other times the spots are found to form ree sets of lines, making angles of 60 and with each other ; and on others the spots are disposed without much apparent regularity, frequently having a star-like figure in the cen- tre. The spots are so small on some of the disks as to be almost invisible even by the highest magnifying powers ; on others they are quite large and hexagonal. In podiscus Rogerii (Bailey), the whole surface is so beautifully punctate that no engraving could do it justice. The most complicated markings on the coscino- discus scarcely rival the elaborate ornaments of this truly elegant organism. It has proved very common in Virginia and Maryland in a fossil condition. The beauty of isthmia obli- quata, detected in the mud of Boston harbor, can only be appreciated by ocular examination. The diatomacese enter largely into the food of the mollusca. Dr. Hooker found dictyocha aculeata in the stomachs of salpse taken ofl 7 Victoria Land, and remains of diatomacese oc- curred in the same ascidiums examined between the latitudes of the N. tropic and 80 S. The medusaa are also in particular often filled with these forms. See Bailey in " American Jour- nal of Science and Arts," vols. xli., xlvi. ; "Proceedings of the Essex Institute," vol. i., pp. 33^8, and vol. ii., pp. 70, 71 ; Kutzing's Species Algarum (Leipsic,. 1849) ; Smith's "British Diatomacese " (2 vols. 8vo, London, 1853-' 6) ; and Berkeley's " Introduction to Cryptogamic Botany " (London, 1857). DIAZ, Miguel, an Aragonese explorer, born after the middle of the 15th century, died about 1514. He took part in the second expe- dition of Columbus, and having arrived in Hayti in 1495, he became involved in a duel which forced him to flee to the southern part of the island, where he married the female ruler of an Indian tribe. From information given by her, and with the cooperation of Bar- tholomew Columbus, who was governor of the colony, he discovered the gold mines of St. Christopher, and afterward took a conspicuous part in the foundation of Nueva Isabella (after- ward Santo Domingo) in the vicinity of the gold districts. He faithfully adhered to Co- lumbus until his death. DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, Bernal, a Spanish ad- venturer and chronicler, born in Medina del Campo, Old Castile, near the close of the 15th century. He went to seek his fortune in the new world in 1514, and joined the expeditions which sailed from Cuba to Yucatan under Fer- nandez de Cordova in 1517, and under Grijalva in 1518. He afterward attached himself to the fortunes of Cortes. In 1568 he was regi- dor of the city of Guatemala. When Goma- ra's "Chronicle of New Spain" appeared, Diaz began his Historia verdadera de la con- quista de la Nueva Espafta, the object of which was to correct the many misstatements of his rival, and to claim for himself and his comrades a share of the glory which Goinara gave almost wholly to Cortes. The work was finished in 1558, and was first published at Ma- drid in 1632. An English translation by Lock- hart appeared in 1844. DIAZ DE SOLIS, Juan. See Sous. DIBDIN. I. Charles, an English song writer and composer, horn in Southampton in 1745, died July 25, 1814. He was the 18th child of his parents, who intended him for the church ; but he studied music, and at the age of 16 went to London, where he at first supported himself by composing ballads for the music sellers and by tuning pianos. In l763-'4 the opera of "The Shepherd's Artifice," written and com- posed by him, was produced at Covent Garden theatre, after which he appeared for several years as actor and composer. Among his most popular works were "The Padlock," "The Deserter," "The Waterman," and "The Qua^ ker," produced at Drury Lane under the man- agement of Garrick. Having quarrelled with the latter, he was for several years engaged in various theatrical speculations, and in 1789 instituted a species of musical entertainment, in which he was the sole author, composer, and performer. He called it " The Whim of the Moment." So successful did the enterprise prove, that in 1796 he erected a small theatre