DEC 1

DECOMPOSITION, in chemistry, usually signifies the dis-union or separation of the constituent parts of bodies. It differsfrom mere mechanical division, in that when a body is chemicallydecomposed, the parts into which it is resolved are essentiallydifferent from the body itself; but though a mechanical force isapplied to it ever so long, or if with ever so much violence, theminutest particles into which the body may be reduced, still re-tain their original nature. Thus, let nitre be reduced to ever sofine a powder, each particle retains the nature of nitre, as much asthe compounded mass; but sulphuric acid is applied, a decompo-sition takes place, and one of the largest component parts ot thenitre rises in the form of a smoking acid spirit, which nevercould have been suspected to lie bid in the mild neutral salt.

DECORATION, iu architecture, any thing that adorns andenriches a building, church, triumphal arch, or the like, eitherwithout side or within. The orders of architecture contributegreatly to the decoration ; but the several parts of those ordersmust liave their just proportions, characters, and ornaments; other-wise the finest order will bring confusion rather than richness.See Architecture. Decorations in churches, are paintings,vases, festoons, &c. occasionally applied to the walls; and with somuch conduct and discretion, as not to take oil'any thing lromthe form of the architecture : as is much practised in Italy at thesolemn feasts.

DECORUM, in architecture, is the suitableness of a building,and the several parts and ornaments thereof, to the station and oc-casion.

DECOUPLE, in heraldry, the same as uncoupled; thus achevron decouple, is a chevron wanting so much of it towards thepoint, that the two ends stand at a distance from one another, beingpart oil and uncoupled.

DECOY, among fowlers, a place made for catching wild fowl.A decoy is generally made where there is a large pond surroundedwith wood, and beyond that a marshy and uncultivated country:if the piece of water is not thus surrounded, it will be attendedwith the noise and other accidents which may be expected tofrighten the wild fowl from a quiet haunt, where they mean tosleep, during the day, insecurity. If these noises or disturbancesare wilful, an action will lie against the disturber. As soon as theevening sets in, the decoy rises (as they term it), and the wild fowlfeeds, during the night. 'If the evening is still, the noise of theirwings during their flight, is heard at a very great distance, and isa pleasing, though melancholy sound. 'This rising of the decoyin the evening, is in Somersetshire called radding. The decoyducks are fed witli heinpseed, which is thrown over the screens insmall quantities, to bring them forwards into the pipes or canals,and to allure the wild fowl to follow, as this seed tioats. Thereare several pipes, as they are called, w hich lead up a narrow ditchthat closes at last with a tunnel net. Over these pipes > (whichgrow narrower from their first entrance) is a continued atch of net-ting suspended on hoops. It is necessary to have a pipe, or ditch,for almost every wind that can blow, as upon this circumstance itdepends which pipe the fowl will take to; and the decoy manalways keeps on the leeward side of the ducks, to prevent hiseffluvia reaching their sagacious nostrils. All along each pipe, atcertain intervals are placed screens made of reeds, so situated, that■t is impossible the wild fowl should see the decov man, beforethey have passed on towards the end of the pipe, where the purse*ct is placed. The inducement of the wild fowl to go up one ofthese pipes is, because the decoy ducks trained to this lead the"av, either after hearing the whistle of the decoy man, or enticedby the heinpseed: the latter will dive under water, whilst the w ildfowl fly on, and are taken in the purse net. It otten happens,however, that the wild fowl are in such a state of sleepiness anddozing, that they will not follow the decoy duck. Use is thengenerally made of a dog, who is taught bis lesson; he passes back-wards and forwards between the reed screens (in which are littleboles, both for the decoy man to see, and the little dog to passthrough); this attracts the' eye of the wild fowl, who, not choosingto he interrupted, advance towards the small and contemptibleanimal, that they mav drive him away. The dog all the time, bythe direction of the decoy man, plavs among the screens of reeds,Hearer and nearer the purse-net; till at last, perhaps, the decoyman appears behind a screen, and the wild fowl not daring to passby him in return, nor being able to escape upwards on account ofthe net covering, rush on into the purse-net. Sometimes the dog

VOL. Ji.— no. 03.

13 - DEO

will not attract their attention, if a red handkerchief, pr someth ngvery singular, is not put about him. The general season forcatching fowls in decoy, is from the end ot October till February ;the taking of them earlier is prohibited bv an act to Geo. H. c..12, which forbids it from June 1 to October 1, under the penaltyof 5.s for each bird destroyed within that space 'I he Lincoln-shire decoys are commonly set at a certain annual rent, from Mto 201. a year; and there is one in Somersetshire that pays 30kThe former contribute principally to supply the markets in Lon-don . Amazing numbers of ducks, wigeons, and teal, are taken :a few winters past, in one season, and m only ter. decoys, in theneighbourhood of Wain fleet, the number amounted to 31,200, inwhich were included several other species ot ducks. These quan-.titles make them so cheap on the spot, that the decoy men wouldhe content to contract for years to deliver I heir ducks at Boston ,for lOd. per couple. It was customary formerly to have in thefens an annual driving of the young ducks before they took wing.Numbers of people assembled, who beat a vast tract, ami forcedthe birds into a net placed at the spot where the sport was to ter-minate; 130 dozens have been taken at once; but this practicebeing supposed to be detrimental, has been abolished by act otparliament.

Decov, in naval affairs, a stratagem employed by a ship of war,to betray a vessel of inferior force into an tincautious pursuit, tiltshe has draw n her w ithin the range of her cannon, or w hat is calledw ithin gunshot. It is usually performed by painting the stern andsides in such a maun- r as to disguise the ship, ancY represent hereither much smaller and of inferior force, or as a friend to the hos-tile vessel, which she endeavours to ensnare, by assuming the em-blems and ornaments of the nation to which the stranger is sup-posed to belong. When she has thus provoked the adversary tochase, in hopes of acquiring a prize, she continues the decoy, byspreading a great sail, as endeavouring to escape; at the same timethat her course is considerably retarded by an artful alteration ofher trim till the enemy approaches. Decoying is also performedto elude ihe chase of a ship ot a superior force in a dark night, bythrowing out a lighted cask of pitch into the sea, which will burnfor a considerable time, and misguide the enemy. Immediatelyalter the cask is thrown out, the ship changes her course, and mayeasily escape, if at any tolerable distance from the foe.

DECREE, in the civil law, is a determination which the em-peror pronounces upon hearing a particular cause between theplaintilf and defendant.

Decree is Chancery, the determination of the lord chancel-lor, upon a full hearing of the merits of a cause.

Decrees of Councils, laws made by them, to regulate thedoctrine and policy of the church.

DECREE I, in the law of Scotland, a final decree or judge-ment of the lords ot session, from which an appeal only lies to par-liament.

DECREMENT, in heraldry, signifies the wane of the moonfrom the full to the new. The moon in this state is called moondecrescent, or in decours; and w hen borne in coat armour, facesto the left side, when in the increment.

DEC KEPI I’A 1ION, in chemistry, signifies the quick separa-tion of the parts of a body, occasioned bv a strong heat, and ac-companied with noise and crackling. This elfect is most fre-quently produced by water contained betwixt the parts of the de-crepitating body, when these parts have a certain degree of adhe-sion together. This water being quickly reduced into vapour bythe heat suddenly applied to it, rarefies, and bursts with noise theparts which compress it. The bodies most subject to decrepita-tion are certain salts, such as common -alt, vitriolated tartar, nitreof lead, ike. the decrepitation of all which proceeds from the wa-ter of their crystallization. Clays which are not perfectly dry,and Hints, are also subject to decrepitation.

DECRESCENT, [from dicnsctn.i, Lat.] growing less; be-ing in a state of decrease.

•DECRETAL, [decretal , Lat.] the collection of the pope's de-crees. The decretals compose the second part of the canon law.The first genuine one, acknowledged by all the learned as such,is a letter of Pope Siricius , written A. D/383, to Himerus, bishopof Tarragona, in Spain , concerning some disorders which had creptinto the churches of Spain . Gratian published a collection of de-cretals, containing all the ordinances made by the popes till A. 1).

1150. Gregory IX. in (227, following the "example of Theodo-

2 G sins