IHSTRICT COURT 379 DIU Government ceases with the fixing of the President and 22 elected) was the rate, and each State establishes the created. This form of government was boundaries of its own districts by an act continued till 1878, when the govem- of its Legislature. There is, therefore, ment was invested in the present three a decennial change in the number and commissioners, one of whom must be an often in the boundaries of the districts. army officer, and all of whom are ap- The ratio of representation in the pointed by the President and confirmed United States House of Representatives by the Senate. Congress makes all laws based on the different censuses was as for the District. Citizens of the Dis- foUows: trict have no vote for National officers. ^^T^o^'^^^ *^^1?^ ^^ ^ ^'^^ « r.^ There is but one government for the FrYm^i79r?o"8oTba-Bedon ^^'^^^ Entire District, with which the city of the u. s. Census of 1790 30,000 WASHINGTON (q. V.) is now coextensive. From 1803 to 1813 based on the u. s. Census of 1800 33,000 DITCH, in agriculture, a trench "^h'e j'%eilll ^^.^^'.°° 1810 35.000 ufually made along the sides of fields, so From 1823 to 1833 baaed on that all the drains may be led mto it, the u. s. Census of 1820 40.000 or along the top of a field to divert sur- "^X ]!'VZelltl o'f.'^'.°° 1830 47.700 ^^'^ ^,^t^^- I" ^^^}^ 1^"^^' since, the From 1843 to 1853 based on general use of Small and large pipes, the u. s. Census of 1340 70.680 ditches have in many cases been con- From 1853 to 1863 based on vpr+pH intn iinrlpro-rnnnH rlrnint! the u. s. Census of 1850 93,425 ^^"^^1 mto unoergrouno arams. From 1863 to 1873 based on -rixm-M- a •»> c t> a -o-mpz-vnT-rw t -en? the U. S. Census of 1860 127.381 DITMARS, RAYMOND LEE, an From 1873 to 1883 based on American scientist, born in Newark, N. wl^^ ys•8f•t^^°lQl w;;,;; ^^'^ ^^^'"^^ J., in 1876. He graduated from Bar- From 1883 to 1893 based on ' , »«-.i., • j • ion-, tt the u. s. Census of 1880 151,912 nard Military Academy in 1891. He was From 1893 to 1903 based on for 5 years assistant curator of ento- T.^**® Fq J- .*^^?IVq K^- •;,■•■ ^^^^ 173,901 niology at the American Museum of From 1903 to 1913 based on xt j. ■> tt i. j • -i orio v u. S. Census of 1900 194.182 Natural History and m 1899 became From 1913 based on u. s. Curator of reptiles at the New York Census of 1910 212,407 Zoological Park. He was in charge of DISTRICT COURT, a court having the department of mammals at this cognizance of cases arising within a cer- park from 1910. He was the author of tain defined district, more specifically "The Reptile Book" (1907) ; "Reptiles as described below. In 1920 the United of the World" (1909). He also contrib- States was divided into 106 districts for uted numerous articles on entomology- judicial purposes, each State in the and kindred subjects to magazines. Union containing at least one district, .^.,„.„ , ,,„ ^, , r 4.1, and some of them more. For each dis- ^^^^TTANY, the popular name of the trict there are a judge, a district at- plants of the genus DuJtamnws an herb torney, a marshal, and deputy marshals, f the rue faniily, found in the Medi- They constitute the officers of the dis- terranean region. The leaves are pin- trict courts. These tribunals have 2^*^' *^^ ^^^^^ '^^•^^ ° rose-colored charge of the initial administration of Ao^f^s are m terminal racemes. The justice in cases of offense against the whole plant is covered with oily glands, Federal Government, and form a link ^"d the secreted oil is so volatile that in in the judicial succession that culminates ^o* weather the air round the. Plfnt be- in the Supreme Court of the United comes mflammable. D. FraxineUa and States, being as it were the Federal P" "^^«f ^^^^ ^^HH '5 ^c/ /"^' • ^ ,^ L' courts of coSimon pleas. *?,"y. ^^ the United States ^iCnnda Mariana, a labiate plant. The dittany of DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, the Fed- Crete is Origanum Dictamnus, and the eral district of the United States, con- bastard dittany is a species of 3/a at- taining the National capital. Named 5i„„j (horehound), both labiates. for Columbus. Fixed as seat of United States Government in 1790 by an act of DIU (de'ii) , a seaport situated at the Congress. Formed out of Washington E. extremity of a Portuguese island (7 by CO., Md. (64 square miles), a portion of 2 miles) of the same name, off the S. Virginian territory offered the Govern- coast of Kathiawar; 180 miles N. W. of ment being not now included. The Bombay. Once an important city of United States Government removed to 50,000 inhabitants, it has sunk in im- the District in 1800. The city of Wash- portance till now the whole island has ington was captured by the British in but 15,000 inhabitants, mostly fishermen. 1814, and the Capitol and Executive Some magnificent buildings still attest Mansion were burned. The District was its ancient splendor, such as the Jesuit governed by Congress till 1871, when a College (1601), now a cathedral. The legislative body of 33 (11 appointed by place has been in possession of the Por-
