RASTENBURG, a town of Germany, in the province of East Prussia, lying in a flat sandy plain on the Guber, 64 m. S.E. of Konigsberg by the railway to Prostken. Pop. (1905) 11,889. Its principal manufactures are flour, sugar, oil, beer and machinery. In the vicinity is Karlshof, a celebrated establishment for the cure of epileptic diseases. See Beckherrn, Mittheilungen aus Rastenburgs Vergangenheit (Rastenburg, 1891); and Schaffer, Chronik von Rastenburg (Rastenburg, 1889).
RAT (a word common to Teut. and Rom. languages; probably
first adopted in Teut.; the ultimate origin is not known; Skeat
suggests the root rad-; to scratch; cf. Ger. Ratte, Dan. rotte, Fr. rat, &c.),
probably in its original sense the designation of the British rodent
mammal commonly known as the black rat (Mus rattus), but also
applied indifferently to the brown or Norway rat (M. norvegicus),
and in a still wider sense to all the larger representatives of the
genus Mus, as to many other members of the family Muridae.
In fact, as mentioned in the article Mouse, there is no
possibility of defining the term “rat” when used in a sense other
than as relating to the two species above mentioned; while
there is also no hard-and-fast limit between the terms “rats”
and “mice” when these are likewise employed in their now
extended sense, “rats” being merely larger “mice,” and
vice versa. Rats have, however, generally more rows of scales
|
|
|
Black Rat (Mus rattus). |
|
|
|
Brown Rat (M. norvegicus). |
on the tail (reaching to 210 or more) than mice, in which the number does not exceed 180. For the distinctive characteristics of the family Muridae and the genus Mus, to which true rats and true mice alike belong, see Rodentia. Of the two British species the brown, or Norway rat (M. norvegicus) is distinguished by its large size, brownish grey colour, short tail and ears, stout skull, and the possession of from 10 to 12 teats. It is fierce and cunning, and easily overcomes all allied species with which it is brought in contact. Its original home would seem to have been some part of Central Asia, an indigenous species from China, M. humiliatus, being so like it that in all probability the latter is the original race from which it has sprung. Thence it has spread to all parts of the world, driving out the house-haunting species everywhere, as it has in England all but exterminated the black rat. The brown rat migrated westwards from Central Asia early in the 18th century, and is believed to have first reached Great Britain about 1730. Its already evil reputation has been increased of late years by the fact that it is one of the chief disseminators of bubonic plague. Black phases are not uncommon. The black rat (M. rattus) is distinguishable from the brown rat by its smaller size, longer ears and tail, and glossy black colour. It shares the roving habits of the latter, frequenting ships and by these means reaching various parts of the world. On this account either the typical form or the tropical M. rattus alexandrinus is common in many places to which the brown species has not yet penetrated, for instance in South America. This long-tailed rat, originally a native of India, would seem to have first penetrated to all parts of the world and to have nearly or quite exterminated the indigenous rats. After this followed the advance of the more powerful brown rat. The black rat first reached Europe in the 13th century; but of late years another and still darker phase of the species, the Black Sea black rat (M. rattus ater) made its appearance in England. The Isle of Dogs and Yarmouth, in Norfolk, are reported to be the chief of the English strongholds of the black rat. Both species agree in their predaceous habits, omnivorous diet and great fecundity. They bear, four or five times in the year, from four to ten blind and naked young, which are in their turn able to breed at an age of about six months; the time of gestation being about twenty days.
See J. G. Millais, “The True Position of Mus rattus and its Allies,” Zoologist, June 1905. (R. L.*)
RATAFIA, a liqueur or cordial flavoured with peach or
cherry kernels, bitter almonds, or other fruits; many different
varieties are made. The same name is given to a Havouring
essence resembling bitter almonds, and also to a light biscuit.
The word is adapted from the French of the 17th century.
Skeat (Etym. Dict., 1910) quotes as a possible origin a combination
of Malay aroq, arrack, and tafia, rum.
RATE, a general term for proportion, standard, allowance,
tax (Med. Lat. rata, from pro rata parte, ratus being the participle
of reri, to think, judge). In England the term is specially
applied to the levying of public money contributions for local
purposes, as distinguished from the “taxes” raised for what are
treated as general state purposes. The money required for
local administration in England is raised (when the ordinary
revenues are insufficient) by assessments on lands and buildings
based on their annual rental value. The financial authority
estimates what additional amount beyond revenue is required
for the expenses of administration, and levies a rate to meet it.
The earliest rate levied in England was that for poor relief, and
of the great variety of rates now existing, the majority are based
on the poor rate and levied with it, under the term of precept
rates. Next to the poor rate came that for highways, and other
special rates have been authorized from time to time, as for
police, education, public lighting, cemeteries, libraries, sanitary
purposes, &c. To distinguish the rate the name of the
precepting authority is frequently added or the purpose for which
it is levied specified, as county rate, watch rate, &c. The
valuation list of a parish is the basis on which the poor rate is
levied. This valuation list contains the gross estimated rental
and rateable value of all rateable property in the parish. The
gross estimated rental is the rent at which a property might
reasonably be expected to let from year to year, the tenant
paying tithes, rates and taxes. From this is deducted the
average annual cost of repairs, insurance and renewals, the
balance constituting the rateable value. The rateable value
of the parish being known, so much on each pound of the rateable
value as will equal the amount required to be raised is levied,
and is known as the “rate.” See further England, Local
Government; Taxation.
Rating, in maritime vocabulary, is the classification of men according to rank, and was formerly employed to class ships of a navy according to strength. A sailor is said to be “rated A.B.,” or in the navy “rated petty officer,” “seaman,” “gunner,” and so on. The rating of ships began in the 17th century, and was at first done roughly by size and number of crew. Later the rating was by guns. Thus in 1741 in the British navy there were six rates: 1st. 100 guns; 2nd, 90; 3rd, 70 to 80; 4th, 50 to 60; 5th, 40; and 6th, 20. Sloops, fireships, bomb-vessels and royal yachts were said to be not rated. The classification of ships into six rates, and into rated and non-rated ships, continued during the existence of the old sailing fleets, with modifications in detail. The practice of other navies was similar to the British.
RATEL, or Honey-Badger, the name of certain Indian and
African small clumsy-looking creatures of about the size and
appearance of badgers, representing the genus Mellivora in the
family Mustelidae (see Carnivora). Two species of ratel
are commonly recognized, the Indian (M. indica), and the
African (M. ratel), which ranges over Africa, but a black ratel
from the Ituri forest has been separated as M. cottoni. Both
the two former are iron-grey on the upper parts, and black
below, a style of coloration rare among mammals, as the upper
side of the body is in the great majority darker than the lower.
