- D
- D.F.W. (German-designed) Biplane
A. Hull, which is steel-built, containing pilot and passenger B. Main-planes—the lower at a dihedral angle C. Uptilted stabilising ailerons, which may be locked in position D. Stabilising fin E. Rudder F. Elevating-plane G. 100-h.p. motor (which is enclosed) and propeller. - DA
- Da Vinci’s designs for human flying-gear
Leonardo da Vinci, who was a gifted engineer as well as an artist, devised a flying gear for man which shows some dynamic improvement over the mechanism of the old-time angels, flying gods, and hobgoblins. As shown in the accompanying sketch, it provided for gravitational balance by use of an expanding tail projecting well to the rear. Moreover, the propulsion was to employ both arms and legs. This design is considered very remarkable for the time in which it was produced, probably a few years before the discovery of America; and yet it is but one of Da Vinci’s quaint aëronautical inventions, as will appear later. - Da Vinci’s helicopter
Da Vinci’s second flyer was a helicopter. An aërial screw 96 feet in diameter was to be turned by a strong and nimble artist who might, by prodigious effort, lift himself for a short time. Though various small paper screws were made to ascend in the air, the larger enterprise was never seriously undertaken. Many subsequent inventors developed the same project; but the fellow turning the screw always found it dreadful toil and a hopelessly futile task. Of late the man-driven helicopter has been abandoned, but the motor-driven one is very much cultivated. Scores of inventors in recent years, aided by light motors, have been trying to screw boldly skyward, and some have succeeded in rising on a helicopter carrying one man. - Da Vinci’s parachute
Da Vinci’s third scheme for human flight, was a framed sail on which a man could ride downward, if not upward. This device never fails to navigate with its confiding sailor. Sometimes he lands in one posture, again in another; but voyage he must, with the certainty of gravitation. Leonardo is, therefore, the father of the parachute. This, in turn, has had a varied offspring. The common parachute, the aërial glider, the soaring machine, or passive aëroplane, that rides the wind without motive power and without loss of energy. - Daedalus and Icarus
The story of Dædalus and Icarus also tells us that man believed flying was somehow possible. Dædalus was a very clever man who lived with his son Icarus on the Island of Crete. The king of this island requested Dædalus to build a labyrinth or maze for him. Dædalus constructed the labyrinth so cleverly that only the king, who had the clue to the winding passages, could find his way out. One day the king became very angry at Dædalus and threw both him and his son Icarus into the labyrinth, intending that they should perish. Dædalus, who had been dreaming of flying, fashioned wings from wax and feathers, with which he and Icarus could fly to freedom. He cautioned Icarus that he must not fly too high or the sun would melt the wax in his wings. Icarus, impatient to escape, scarcely listened. Like birds the two flew into the air, quickly leaving the walls of the labyrinth. Dædalus, flying low, safely crossed the sea and reached Sicily. Icarus, unfortunately, failed to heed his father’s warning. Flying was so much fun that he rose higher and higher. Suddenly feathers began to drop one by one. Too late Icarus realized that the sun had melted the wax in his wings. Down, down he fell into the sea. - Dagged Costume in the Twelfth Century
- Dagon, the fish God
As men became more and more accustomed to these idols and less and less spiritual in their worship they would ventrure to give expression to their ideas of the unseen gods. Other materials were used, and as might be required by the materials, other shapes were of necessity given. At first, it would seem, that only representations of animals were attempted, then, asin the teraphim, the head of a man was attached to various animal forms, as also in Dagon, the fish-god, which has a human figure, terminating in a fish - Daksha
Daksha - Damaskeened Armour of the end of the Sixteenth Century
- Damoiseau’s terabdella
Damoiseau’s terabdella. (From Damoiseau, La Terabdelle ou machine pneumatique, Paris, 1862. - Damsel of the Court of Catherine de Medicis
Costumes of the Ladies and Damsels of the Court of Catherine de Medicis.--After Cesare Vecellio. - Damsels singing to the Sound of Timbrels
The next natural step for the use of music would be that of victory and triumph. The first notice of this kind is the song of Miriam. And here we may rightly conjecture the introduction of an Egyptian, and therefore cultured element. " Miriam took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances " (Exod. xv. 2o). - Dance of Fools
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer
- Dancer 2
- Dancer 3
- Dancer and Guitarist
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers
- Dancers dressed as wolves
Transformation Ceremony and Dancers Dressed as Wolves. In some of these dances, the attitudes of the animals whose totems were worn by the clans were imitated, and the spirits of the animals were supposed to have taken possession of the dancers. . - Dancers on Christmas Eve
- Dancing
- Dancing
- Dancing Bacchante
Dancing Bacchante. From a vase in the British Museum. According to some authorities, one of the most primitive of the first class, attributed to Phrygian origin, was the Aloenes, danced to the Phrygian flute by the priests of Cybele in honour of her daughter Ceres. The dances ultimately celebrated in her cult were numerous: such as the Anthema, the Bookolos, the Epicredros, and many others, some rustic for labourers, others of shepherds, etc. Every locality seems to have had a dance of its own. Dances in honour of Venus were common, she was the patroness of proper and decent dancing; on the contrary, those in honour of Dionysius or Bacchus degenerated into revelry and obscenity. - Dancing Bears in Costume
Little bears are intensely amusing, and they display a great fondness for romping and playing. We have known of hunters bringing cubs home, and adopting them, as it were, into their families, the bears becoming exceedingly familiar, sleeping with the children, and eating from their bowls of bread and milk, climbing into the hunter’s lap and licking his face, and, in fact, making themselves perfectly at home. As they grow old, however, they are liable to become enraged at teasing or other provocation and to be dangerous. - Dancing Figure
The well-drawn figure painted on a bowl from Oldtown ruin represents a man with knees extended and arms raised as if dancing. This picture has characteristic markings on the face, but otherwise is not distinctive. - Dancing Mania
- Dancing on skates
- Dancing to a Bear
This dance is executed by a female; and probably the perfection of the dance consisted in approaching and receding from the bear with great agility, so as to prevent his seizing upon her, and occasioning any interruption to the performance, which the animal, on the other hand, appears to be exceedingly desirous of effecting, being unmuzzled for the purpose, and irritated by the scourge of the juggler. - Dandelion jump mouse
Dandelion jump mouse - dandelion seedbox
- dandelion seedbox
- Danes, Scandinavians and Gauls
- Daniel and the lions
- Daniel Boone
One of the most noted of these pioneers was Daniel Boone. He was born in Bucks County, Pa., in 1735. Caring little for books, he spent most of his time in hunting and fishing. The woods were his special delight, and naturally he became an expert rifleman. The story is told that when a small boy he wandered one day into the forest some distance from home, and built himself a rough shelter of logs. There he would spend days at a time with only his rifle and game for company. The rifle served to bring down the game, and this he cooked over a fire of logs. A prince might have envied his dreamless slumber as he lay on a bed of leaves with the skin of a wild animal for covering. This free, wild life trained him for his future career as a fearless hunter and woodsman. - Daniel Boone in his Cabin
Daniel Boone in his Cabin - Daniel Dancer, a miser and hermit
- Daniel Defoe
With an imagination scarcely less opulent than Bunyan's, Defoe, if he had described a dream, would have managed somehow to make it as short-winded and inconsequent as a real one. He was in love with verisimilitude, and delighted in facts for their own sakes. 'To read Defoe,' wrote Charles Lamb, 'is like hearing evidence in a Court of Justice.' No compliment could have pleased him better.