a celebrated lawgiver of Athens. When he exercised the office of archon, he made a code of laws for the use of his citizens, which, on account of their severity, were said to be written in letters of blood. By them idleness was punished with as much severity as murder, and death was denounced against the one as well as the other. Such a code of rigorous laws gave occasion to a certain Athenian to ask of the legislator, why he was so severe in his punishments? and Draco gave for answer, that as the smallest transgression had appeared to him deserving death, he could not find any punishment more rigorous for more atrocious crimes. These laws were at first enforced, but they were often neglected on account of their extreme severity; and Solon totally abolished them, except that one which punished a murderer with death. The popularity of Draco was uncommon, but the gratitude of his admirers proved fatal to him. When once he appeared on the theatre, he was received with repeated applause; and the people, according to the custom of the Athenians, showed their respect to their lawgiver by throwing garments upon him. This was done in such profusion, that Draco was soon hid under them, and smothered by the too great veneration of his citizens. He lived about 624 years before the Christian era.

the Dragon, a genus of reptiles belonging to the clas of amphibia. See Herpetology Index.

DRACO Volans, in Meteorology, a fiery exhalation, frequent in marshy and cold countries.

It is most common in summer; and though principally seen playing near the banks of rivers, or in boggy places, yet sometimes mounts up to a considerable height in the air, to the no small terror of the amazed beholders: its appearance being that of an oblong, sometimes roundish, fiery body, with a long tail. It is entirely harmless, frequently sticking to the hands and clothes of people without injuring them in the least.

in Astronomy, a constellation of the northern hemisphere; whose stars, according to Ptolemy, are 81: according to Tycho, 32; according to Hevelius, 40; according to Bayer, 33; and according to Mr Flamstead, 85. See Astronomy, No 406.