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Conference thebay::joyoflex

Title:The Joy of Lex
Notice:A Notes File even your grammar could love
Moderator:THEBAY::SYSTEM
Created:Fri Feb 28 1986
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1192
Total number of notes:42769

145.0. "Snake identification along road" by ELUDOM::SAVAGE () Fri Feb 07 1986 10:54

   The following was excerpted from a memo composed by Martin 
   Michener (no relation to James) a professional zoologist
   with whom I used to work.

   Most of us have been seeing unusual serpents along New
   Hampshire's highways, and, as many of you have reported,
   it is difficult to adequately distinquish such specimens
   while travelling at 55 mph, using Conant's "Field Guide to 
   the Reptiles and Amphibians."

   This memo seeks to clarify some of the species of snakes 
   which have been reported to me, enabling you to continue
   your road-kill survey.

   The list that follows is far from being taxonomically 
   well-established; many of the species may be conspecific
   or races of common species.

   These are the dangerous ones - learn their field marks!

     Python hawseriodes       => the nylon rope python 
     Serpentes styraformis    => the unpacked krait
     Crotalus startmoweri     => the oiled hemp sidewider
     Sistrurus detroitensis   => the windshield viper
     Crotalus rusticus        => the tailpipe rattler
     Agkistrodon pigskinus    => the dirty moccasin
     Agkistrodon batteriensis => the cable copperhead
 
   These are harmless; their bite, however, can be no joke!

     Lichanura ostrichplumus  => the feather boa   
     Thamnophis yellowlinus   => the highway ribbon snake
     Charina retreadus        => the rubber tire boa
     Coluber frayrottenus     => the fanbelt racer
     Lampropeltus knotedus    => the cord kinksnake
     Oxybelis vitisoides      => the grape vine snake

   Remember, do not handle these reptiles; simply report their
   whereabouts and condition to a licensed herpetologist.

   :-)
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name		DateLines
145.1Signs to indicate reptiles in road ahead!!!VIRTUE::LARRY_MFri Feb 28 1986 16:0915
    Might be helpful to know that as soon after a reported sighting
    of one of the aforementioned reptiles as is humanly possible, a
    sign will be posted a short distance back up the highway from the
    reptile, indicating that there is a snake in the road ahead, and
    the sign will look something like this:
    
    				^
    				 \
    				 /
    				/
    				\
    
    Rather difficult to represent on a terminal, but I imagine you'll
    recognize it.  Watch for these signs and you'll get lots of practice
    at identifying the various type of reptilians.
145.2don't stop...HPSCAD::ALTMANBARBMon Oct 15 1990 19:5712
	My son identifies this common highway icon 

				 __	
    				|__|
    				O  O
    				 \ \
    				 / /
    				/ /
    				\ \
    
	as "Snakes carrying off cars ahead"
145.3Another common road sign.STAR::CANTORDiginymic name: D2E C0.Fri Oct 19 1990 04:2822
               /|
        /\    / |          That thing with wheels is a truck.
       /  \  /  |          I'm not a very good artist.
      /   /o/   |
     /   / /    |
    /   / /     |
   |   / /      |
   |__/o/       |
       /        |
      /         |
     /__________|


Road warning sign. 

    Beware of sliding trucks.

(Intended meaning:  Truckers, test your brakes.)


Dave C.
145.4ERIS::CALLASWithout chemicals, he points.Fri Oct 19 1990 16:233
    Hmmm. I always thought it was "Trucks on Cheese Wedges."
    
    	Jon
145.5ERIS::CALLASWithout chemicals, he points.Fri Oct 19 1990 16:244
    Another common one is the "Trees falling on picnic tables" sign,
    warning you to keep an eye out if you have lunch there.
    
    	Jon
145.6It's obvious he's seen me walking around!SAGE::GODINNaturally I'm unbiased!Tue Oct 23 1990 17:1711
    And then there's the "Man with Bad Back" sign my son spots frequently:
    
                                  O       <-- Head's far too small!
                                  |           Sorry.  It really comes
                                 /|\          across better in the
                               \/ | \         actual sign.
                                  |_/
                                 / \
                               _/  _\
    
    Karen
145.7VALKYR::RUSTWed Oct 24 1990 22:2117
    My favorite real picto-sign is "Man shovelling sh... - er, dung". (I
    don't think I could do it justice, drawing-wise. It's a humanoid figure
    with shovel, apparently standing in the middle of a heap of manure -
    supposed to mean "Men at Work".)
    
    Anybody remember a long-ago Mad magazine article on this? Among their
    better efforts (I thought) included:
    
    o picture of a bulb-horn and a snarling bear's head. Meaning: "The
    sounding of klaxons annoys the bears."
    
    and my favorite:
    
    o picture of shrubbery with lots of pairs of eyes peeping through it.
    Meaning: "Caution: There are *things* in the bushes."
    
    -b
145.8TKOV51::DIAMONDThis note is illegal tender.Thu Oct 25 1990 03:103
    >My favorite real picto-sign is "Man shovelling sh... - er, dung".
    
    Yeah, why is it a MALE humanoid figure?  Such an unenlightened picto-sign.
145.9Another meaningSEAPEN::PHIPPSDTN 225.4959Thu Oct 25 1990 17:226
>   o picture of shrubbery with lots of pairs of eyes peeping through it.
>     Meaning: "Caution: There are *things* in the bushes."

     I would have titled it "Nudist Colony Ahead" 8^)

             Mike
145.10Danger, peeping Toms aheadTLE::RANDALLself-defined personThu Oct 25 1990 17:331
145.11DECWET::GETSINGEREric GetsingerFri Oct 26 1990 17:301
    Danger, eyesee road