Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/875

* BED SEA. 773 BEDXJPLICATION. in the south. Below a depth of 1200 feet there is a uuiform temperature of 7P in all parts of the sea and down to the greatest depths. The sea differs in this respect from the open ocean, where the temperature continues to fall through a much greater depth. The surface temperature of the Red Sea sometimes rises above 100°, and there is an enormous evaporation, the air being almost constantly saturated as fast as it is supplied by the winds. The heat being intense, the climate on the Red Sea is very depressing. Its salinity amounts to about 4.2 per cent., increasing with the depth, while that of the ocean is 3.5 per cent. The tides are irregular, and in some places im- perceptible. The prevailing winds are north and northwest, but in the southern section they change to the southeast during winter. The ma- rine flora and fauna of the Red Sea are very rich and interesting. The indigenous species are quite different from those of the Mediterranean, showing that the two seas must have been sepa- rated since the Eocene epoch. Since the opening of the Suez Canal, however, there has been a considerable inter-migiation. From the earliest times the Red Sea has been a great highway of commerce between India and the trading peoples of the ilediterranean lands, and was used suc- cessively by the Egyptians, the Phtenieians, Arabs, and in the Middle Ages b_v the Venetians, until the discovery of the route around the Cape of Good Hope. Since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 it has regained its importance as the main route of commerce between Europe and the East. Consult: Luksch, VorlHufiger Berieht iiber die phys ika lisch-oceanograph isch en Un terxuch u ngen im Roten ileer (Vienna. 1896) ; Hood, "the Red Sea Currents and Navigation." in Xautical Magazine, vol. l.wiii. (London. 1899). REDSHANK. One of the best known of the British and European sandpipers ( Totanus cali- dris). having conspicuous red feet. Compare Greexshaxk. KED-SHOTJLDERED HAWK. See Buz- zard; Hex-Hawk. RED SNAPPER. See Sxappeb. RED SPIDER. A name among florists for one of the spinning mites of the genus Tetrany- ohus, and particularly of Tetranychus telarius, a cosmopolitan species, probably originally Euro- pean. They frequently do considerable damage to plants, causing the leaves to turn a rusty color, but they may be kept in check by the ap- plication of a kerosene emulsion spray to which flowers of sulphur has been added. See Mite. REDSTART (from red + start, AS. steort, Ger. sti-iv. tail : perhaps connected with OHG. stiirzen, Ger. stiirzen, to hurl, or with Gk. ar6p$i;, storthe, prong). Either of two small warblers. The American redstart (Setophaga riiticilla) is one of the wood-warblers (q.v.). The male is black, with white belly, and the sides, basal half of wing, and tail-feathers are bright salmon- red : the female is ashy where the male is black and yellow where he is salmon. It winters in tropical America, but appears in the United States earlv in the spring. The nest is built of fine strips of bark, leafstalks, and the like. lined with fine rootlets, in the fork of a small tree some distance from the ground. The eggs are white spotted with brown. The redstart feeds wholly upon insects, which it pursues with great activity. He is not much of a songster, but his beauty and liveliness make him a well-known and popular bird. See Colored Plate of 'ood-Vab- BLERS. The European redstart is a similar bird, but of the family Sylviidae, and is widely diffused over Europe, Asia, and the north of Africa. It has a very soft melodious song, which is con- tinued during the breeding season far into the night, and resumed at early dawn. In confine- ment it becomes very tame, and has been known to imitate the song of other birds, and even to learn a tune. RED-TAILED HAWK. See Buzzard; Hex- H.AWK. RED TAPE. A term used to denote excessive routine and formality in the management of official affairs; a servile adherence to precedent. Before the invention of the modern appliances of elastic bands, file-holders, and other means for securing papers, all official documents were bound together by red ribbons or tapes. The necessary delay caused by the undoing of tapes by slow-moving Government officials, before busi- ness could be transacted, came at length to stand as representative of all delays. The "Circumlocu- tion Office' in Dickens's Little Donit, represent- ing the roundabout ways of a fictitious public office, is an amusing satire on this subject. REDTOP GRASS {Agrostis alba, and its variety i:i(Iij(iris) . This grass varies greatly in its habit of growth. Some of its forms are tall- growing and are largely cultivated for hay, being usually sown in mixtures with timothy and clover. It is one of the best grasses for per- manent pastures in the Xew England and East- ern States, and thrives best in moist soils un- suited to other valuable grasses. When once established this grass will maintain itself against encroachment by weeds or less valuable grasses. Some forms are very useful for lawns. This grass is also called fiorin, bent grass, and. in the Eastern United States, herd's grass. The names are all applied to other species of Agrostis in different regions. REDUPLICATION (Lat. rcduplicatio, from re-, again -i- dupUcarc. to double, from duplex, double, from duplus, double, from duo, two + ■phis, -fold.) in iujlection (q.v.), a prefix to a word which normally consists of the initial con- sonant or consonants with a vowel which is cither the vowel of the root (q.v.) of the word or is e. The reduplication is generally found in verbs, although it sometimes occurs in the formation of nouns. In the verb it is a char- acteristic in Sanskrit (q.v.) and Avesta (q.v.) of the intensive and desiderative formations, as Sanskrit hanti, 'kills.' jnnghanti. 'kills repeated- ly,' jigh-ainsati, 'desires to kill.' It is also fomd in some aorists. as Sanskrit dharati. 'holds,' adidharam, 'I held.' and in a number of present •formations, as Sanskrit dadimi. (ireek iiSufii, T give.' It is most usually found, however, in the per- fect tense, of which it is a distinguishing mark in Sanskrit, .vesta. and Greek, as Sanskrit di^fxti, Tiates,' didvesa, Avesta didvavza, 'I hated.' Greek, Ailu, 'I loose.' AiJ.u<tn, 'T loosed.' There are sporadic instances in Latin, as mordeo. "I bite.' mnmordi. 'I bit.' while examples are com- paratively numerous in Gothic, as fnifah. 'seized.' from fShan ; haihdit, 'called,' from hditun .• Inltnk,