NATURAL HISTORY 



763 



Redwood. The name of various sorts of 

 wood of a red color, as the wood of the redwood 

 of Jamaica; of Andaman wood; of the red- 

 wood of the Bahamas; and of a coniferous tree 

 of California, the redwood of the timber trade. 



>od of California is found only in that 

 State, and in but a comparatively contracted 

 area even there. The available redwood is now 

 confined to about 3 18 miles of coast. The annual 

 product in this region is about 320,000,000 feet, 

 and it is estimated, at the present rate of con- 

 sumption, that enough standing timber exists 

 to last for 150 years. The lumber is becoming 

 more in demand for decorative purposes. Its 

 color, a light >ahn<n when first cut, afterwards 



to a deep red. When thoroughly dried 

 there is no shrinkage and it readily yields to the 

 chi-el of the carver. Piano cases made from 

 tin- wood are said to give increased resonance 

 to the instrument. Large quantities are con- 

 sumed for interior finishing with gratifying 

 effects. In addition to other fine qualities the 

 wood takes on a beautiful polish and even the 

 stumpage, till recently considered worthless, 

 is found to possess valuable qualities. The 

 roots and woody excrescences at the base of the 

 tree give fine effects in wavy outlines, and when 

 polished the material is much valued for decora- 

 tive purpose*. 



Krptiles. A class of vertebrate animals, 

 which comprises the tortoises, crocodiles, snakes, 

 li/ards, etc. Reptiles are more closely related 

 to birds than any other group of animals; and 

 in some recent classifications birds and reptiles 

 together are made to constitute the great di- 

 vi-ion Sauropsida of the sub-kingdom verte- 

 Reptiles agree with birds and differ from 

 all other vertebrates in the following characters: 

 The skull articulates with the spinal column 

 by a single condyle; the lower jaw articulates 

 with the skull by the intervention of a peculiar 

 bone, termed the os quadrat um, or quadrate bone, 

 and each half of the lower jaw consists of several 

 pieces; at no period of their existence are bran- 

 chial or \\ater-breathing respiratory organs de- 

 veloped. The heart in reptiles consists of three 

 chambers two auricles and a ventricle, the 



i't-insr divided into two portions only by 

 a partition which is generally incomplete, and 

 allows the arterial and venous blood to mix. .- 

 that the blood is never so perfectly aerated as 

 in the higher animals. Trie blood is conse- 

 quently much colder than that of birds and all 

 the more highly organized animals, where the 

 oxygen obtains a freer access to its particle- 

 crocodiles the heart has a complete 

 septum, but there is an intermixture of the 

 venous and arterial blood outside the heart 

 In consequence of this organi/ation of the m 

 culatory system, the whole character of reptile- 

 differs from that of the higher animal 



of {lie thorax, or chest, in reptiles is not 

 shut off from the abdomen by a complet. 

 nilar partition or diaphragm, though tra< 



:nd in crocodiles. The lung's are usually 



less cellular than in birds and mammals; but are 



ihlitiL' into the abdominal 



ea\ity. In -nakes there is n-ually only one 



lung, the other being rudimentary or 

 completely atrophied. The rectum opens in a 



common cavity, or cloaca, which receives both 

 excrementitious matters and the products of the 

 generative organs. Reptiles are often provided 

 with an exo-slceleton, or hardened skin, consist- 

 ing of homy plates or scales. The strong and 

 conspicuous outer shell of the body of tortoises 

 and turtles is formed by this exo-skeleton unit- 

 ing with the true endo-skeleton. Ribs are 

 always present, but differ much in form. Teeth 

 are generally present, but are not sunk in dis- 

 tinct sockets, except in crocodiles. In tortoises 

 and turtles the jaws are sheathed in horn like 

 the beak of a bird. The young of reptiles are 

 produced from eggs, mostly hatched alter being 

 laid, but in some cases the eggs are hatched 

 within the body. 



Rhinoceros. The name of a family of 

 mammals, represented by nine living species, 

 characteristic of Africa to the south of tne Sa- 

 hara, India, Borneo, and Java. They have 

 large unwieldy bodies ; short thick legs, terminat- 

 ing in large pads, with hoof-bearing toes; large 

 elongated heads, with a long horn or horns 

 springing from the snout in existing forms; small 

 eyes and ears; and short tails. Their hide is 

 extremely thick, but is not bullet-proof, as is 

 popularly supposed. The Asiatic species differ 

 from the African in some dental characters, but 

 resemble the latter in other respects. Five 

 species belong to Africa, all possessing two horns. 

 Of these, the white rhinoceros is the largest, 

 attaining to a length of over twelve feet and a 

 height of nearly six feet ; but the black or com- 

 mon rhinoceros is the best known species. The 

 Asiatic species are four in number, distinguished 

 by the possession of incisors, or front teeth, 

 which are entirely absent in the African ones, 

 and the hide has much the appearance of armor- 

 plates. They are also smaller in size, and two 

 of the species possess double horns, and two a 

 single one. The Indian rhinoceros, a one-horned 

 species, is the one usually seen in menageries 

 in this country. It leads a tranquil, indolent 

 life, wallowing on the marshy borders of lakes 

 and rivers. Owing to the keenness of its smell 

 and hearing, the rhinoceros cannot be easily 

 attacked; but, when brought to bay, it charges 

 with great fury and impetuosity. 



Rose* A large genus of plants found chiefly 

 in north temperate regions. They are usually 

 erect thorny shrubs, with compound leaves, and 

 flowers of all shades of white, pink, or yellow. 

 The calyx consists of five sepals, united in the 

 lower part to form a ileshy tube, which encloses 

 the fruits. There are normally five petals, but 

 under cultivation the number much 



increased at the expense of the stamens, which 

 are indefinite in number. Numerous sp. 

 rose are indigenous to Creat Britain, the most 

 familiar one being the Dog Roue, which i* com- 

 mon almost everyu fruit is pulpy. 

 lit. and antiseptic; the young Wve 



are infused as tea; and the root was formerly 

 in repute as a specific against hydrophobia. 

 whence the name "Dog Rose." The stems 

 frequently present mossy galls termed Robin 

 Pincushion, caused by the punctures of an insect. 

 Innumerable varieties of the different species 

 of rose are produced under cultivation the 

 tea rose, musk rose, moos rose, and cabbage rose, 



