Use of declaring a variable with referncing operator

[mksakeesh]

Please check the below code

template<class T> 
class Row { 
public: 
Row(int cols=0):row(NULL) {SetRowSize(cols);} 
~Row() {SetRowSize(0); } 
Row(const Row &r):row(NULL) { 
SetRowSize(r.numCols); 
for (int i=0;i<numCols;i++) 
row[i]=r.row[i]; 
} 

void SetRowSize(int n) { 
if(row) delete[] row; 
if (n>0) { 
row=new T[n]; 
memset(row,0,sizeof(T)*n/sizeof(char)); 
} 
else row=NULL; 
numCols=n; 
} 

int size() { return numCols;} 
private: 
int numCols; 
T* row; 
};

Here at line 6 we have Row(const Row &r):row(NULL) {, what is the use of declaring an object using referencing operator? can't we declare it as Row(const Row r):row(NULL) { doesn't it have the same meaning?

[thelamb]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reference_(C%2B%2B)

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