Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 20.djvu/491

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
*
*

K E Q R E S 473 Besides Skinks and Geckos, terrestrial Agamidse, and Varanidae are well represented ; Pygopodidse. Erycidw, Pythonidae, and Boidse are autochthonous, whilst a small number of innocuous Colubrines are immigrants from the East Indies. The poisonous Snakes sur- pass in number the non-poisonous, and belong to the Elapidas. 5. MADAGASCAR possesses Chelydidse and Testudinidse without Trionyx, like South America. A species of Crocodile. Chamse- leontidse more differentiated here than in Africa, with which it has also Gerrhosauridse and Zonuridas in common ; Agamidse, are replaced by the South- American Iguanidae. Snakes chiefly South- American ; no poisonous Snake. 6. The TROPICAL AMERICAN REGION is characterized by the full development of Testudinidas and Chelydidse and absence of Trionyx ; Emydoids are immigrants from the north. Crocodiles and Alli- gators. Lacertilians numerous in families and species, the majority being Iguanidae ; the Old-World Lacertidae replaced by Tejidse. Other families, Anguidas, Amphisbasnidae, Eublepharidas, Heloder- funatidsA, &c., well represented. Snakes numerous : JBoidse and Scytalidss ; Ground Snakes, Colubers, and Tree Snakes abundant, less so Freshwater Snakes ; Tropidonotus almost absent. Poison- ous Snakes in the proportion of species as 1 : 8, and comprising CrotaKdee and Elaps. 7. The NORTH-AMERICAN REGION differs from the Tropical in possessing the Emydidse, in their full development and Trionyx ; only one Testudo. One Alligator. As regards Lacertilians and Ophidians this region occupies the same relation to tropical South America as the Palsearctic region does to Africa and India. 8. NEW ZEALAND is characterized by the possession of the Rhynchocephalian type, without any other Reptile with the exception of certain Skinks and Geckos. Arranging these primary divisions of the globe in accordance with the distribution of the several orders of Reptiles, we find that with regard to CHELONIANS the regions stand in the following relation to each other : I. Emydidse fully developed. A. Trionycidse fully developed. 1. Testudinidse in small numbers or immigrants : a. Indian-Pala&arctic regions, and b. North- American region (including Central America). II. Chelydidos fully developed. A. Trionycidfe fully developed. 1. Testudinidse fully developed : African region. B. Trionycidse absent. 1. Testudinidse fully developed : a. Tropical American region, and b. Madagascar. 2. Testudinidse absent : Tropical Pacific region. III. Chelonians entirely absent : New Zealand. The types of CROCODILIAN and RHYNCHOCEPHALIAN orders are too few in number and either very widely or very locally distributed, so that no general division of the globe's surface can be based upon them alone. The two large LACERTILIAN families Geckonidse and Scincidse, are generally distributed over the warmer parts of the globe, and therefore not well adapted for the distinc- tion of the primary regions. Nevertheless, in a more detailed account many of the genera would have to come into consideration, being confined to more or less limited areas. Both families are represented in great variety in Australia, but scantily in South America. With regard to other families the regions can be arranged thus : I. Agamidse and Yaranidse fully developed. A. Chamseleontidse, Lacertidse, and Amphisbsenidse: African region (including as sub-region the Western Palsearctic portion, characterized by Anguidae). B. Amphisbsenidse and Chamseleons (except one species) absent ; Lacertidte few : Indian region with Manchurian sub-region. C. Pygopodidse : Tropical Pacific region. II. Iguanidse fully developed. A. Chamseleontidae. : Madagascar. B. Tejidse, Amphisbsenidse, and Anguidse : South-American and North-American regions. III. Skinks and Geckos only : New Zealand. Of the families of OPHIDIANS the Pythonidse, and as to Boidx, the Crotalidse, and Viperidse, the Lycodontidx and Ophi- ScytalidsR replace each other in their distribution, and are, ans ' therefore, best adapted for determining the relations of the zoological regions. Although the first two are so far as we know at present the geologically oldest types, and therefore might be employed in the first instance in the arrangement of the regions, their distribution is limited to the equatorial zone, and fails to show the close relations existing between the temperate and equatorial parts of the Old World on the one hand and those of the New on the other. The relations of Madagascar to Tropical America are in the following scheme less distinctly expressed than they are in nature. I. Viperidse fully developed. A. Pythonidse and Lycodontidae : African region. B. Tropidonoti and true Colubers : western portion of the Europo- Asiatic region. II. CrotalidiB fully developed. A. Pythonidse and Lycodontidse in the tropical parts ; Tropidonoti and true Colubers ; none of the Crotalines with rattles : Indian region (including Manchuria). B. Tropidonoti and true Colubers ; some of the Crotalines with rattles ; intermediate between the Manchurian sub-region and tropical America : North-American region. C. Boidte and Scytalidse : Tropical- American region III. Colubrine venomous Snakes only. A. Pythonidse and Boidna : Tropical Pacific region. IV. Venomous Snakes entirely absent. A. Boidse : Madagascar. V. Snakes entirely absent : New Zealand. (A. C. G. ) REQUENA, a town of Spain, in the province of Valencia, 41 miles to the west of that city on the road to Cuenca, occupies a strong position near the river Oleana in the rocky mountainous district called Las Cabrillas separating Valencia from Castile. It is commanded by a castle, and still has traces of the walls that anciently en- circled it. The tower of the church of San Salvador is the only other feature of architectural interest. The principal industries are those connected with the culture of grain, fruit, wine, saffron, and silk. The population of the muni- cipality in 1877 was 13,527. RESERVOIR. See WATERWORKS. RESHAL, i.e., RABBENU SHELOMOH LORI A (or Luria, vulgo Lurye), was one of the famous " Five x Sages " (Rabbis) of the 16th century. His father's name was 1 The other four were (1) K. Mosheh Isserls of Cracow (the celebrated " Rema") ; (2) E. Lewa b. Besaleel (the great Halakhist and Cabbalist), chief rabbi of Prague; (3) R. Mordekhai Yaphe (the author of the Lebushim), chief rabbi of Posen, &c. ; and (4), last but not least, R. Yoseph Caro, principal of the academy of Safed in Palestine, and compiler of the normative Shulhan 'Arukh. R. Yehiel of Ostroff (S. W. Russia), a descendant of RASHi 2 (q.v.). He is also known under the name of Rashal, or Maharshal (i.e., Morenu Harab R. Shelomoh Loria). He himself was chief rabbi of Lublin, where he died in 1573. His works are of importance on account of the numerous, though only incidental, notices they contain in connexion with the history of Jewish literature. We name six of these works one edition of each : (1) Hokhmath Shelomoh, discussions on the Babylonian Talmud, Eashi, the Tosaphoth, &c. This work is now an integral part of the Talmud editions. (2) Yarn shel Shelomoh : (a) on Yomtob (or Besah), Lublin, 1636, and reprints ; (b} on Yebamoth, Altona, 1739 ; (e) on Kethuboth (first four perakim), Stettin, 1862 ; (d) on Kiddu- shin, Berlin, 1766 ; (e) on Gittin', Berlin, 1761, and reprint ; (/) 011 Bobo Kammo, Prague, 1616, and reprint ; (g) on Hullin, Cracow, 1646, a'nd reprints. All these are in folio. (3) Yeri'oth Shelomoh, supercommentary on Rashi on the Pentateuch, with special refer- ence to Mizrahi's supercommentary, Prague, 1608, 4to. (4) 'Atereth Shelomoh, on the lllicita et Licita of R. Yishak of Diiren, Basel. 1599, and reprint, folio. (5) 'Ammude Shelomoh, on the Sepher Hammisvoth of R. Mosheh of Coney, Basel, 1599, 4to. (6) Ee- sponsa, Lublin, 1574, 4to, and reprints in folio. (S. M. S.-S.) 2 Yam shel Shelomoh, on Yebamotli, iv. 33. XX. 60