rat itæ

pl. [Lat. rates =a raft, from the keelle sternum.] 1. Ornith.: A division of Birds, introduced by Merrem in his Tentamen System at is natural is Avium ( Abhand. k. Akad d. Wi . in Berlin, 1812, pp. 237-59), and containing his genus Struthio (q.v.), since divided. They are all incapable of flight; though some run very swiftly, the abnormally small wings acting as a kind of sail, and helping the birds along. They may be divided into two groups: (1) Those in which the wing has a rudimentary or very short humerus, and not more than one ungual phalanx (the Casuariide, the fast-vanishing Apterygidæ, and the extinct Dinornithidae, often treated as one family (Apterygide); and (2) those having a long humerus and two ungual phalanges (Rheide and Strut hi on ide, often combined under the latter name). (Cf. Huxley, loc. inf. cit.) "Though comparatively but few genera and species of this order now exist, they differ from one another very considerably, and have a wide distribution, from Africa and Arabia, over many of the islands of Malaisia and Polynesia to Australia and South America. Hence, in all probability, the existing Ratitæ are but the waifs and strays of what was once a very large and important group."- Huxley : Proc . Zool . Soc ., 1867, p. 419. 2. Palæont .: Found first in the Eocene Tertiary. răt-i-tāte, răt-ite, a . [RATITE.] Belonging to or characteristic of the Ratitæ. rat-ite, a. [RATITATE.] răt'-line, răt-lin, rắt-ling, răt'-tling, subst. [Etym. doubtful, but probably from rat and line, as though the lines formed ladders for rats to climb up.] Naut .: (See extract.) "Ratlines [are] small horizontal lines or ropes extended between the several shrouds on each side of a mast, thus forming the steps of ladders for going up and down the rigging and masts."-Brande & Cox: Dictionary. *rat-on-er, *rat-on-ere, s. [O. Fr.] A rat-catcher. schools speak with respect of them. ră-tion-al-Ist, s. & a. [Eng. rational; -ist.] A. As substantive: 1. Ord. Lang .: One who bases his disquisitions and practice wholly upon reason. 2. Theol.: One who considers human reason the supreme arbiter in Scripture and theology. B. As adj .: Rationalistic. ră-tion-al-ist-Ic, ră-tion-al-ist-Ic-al, adj . [Eng. rationalist ; -ic, -ical .] Pertaining to, or having the character of rationalism. ră-tion-al-ist-ic-al-ly, adv. [ Eng.rationalist ical; -ly.] In a rationalistic manner.