serpent results

[Bill Adlam <wa105@mead.anglia.ac.uk>]

Way back when (the 26th of May), I asked:

>You see 3 smallish, almost cylindrical snakes, all striped red, yellow and 
>black:
> A:      ...R Y B Y R Y B Y R Y B Y...
> B:      ...B R Y R B R Y R B R Y R...
> C:      ...Y B R B Y B R B Y B R B...
>Which is dangerously venomous, which is harmless, and which is new to 
>science?

The answer I was looking for was A, C, B respectively.  You avoid A, ignore 
C and investigate B.  (It turns out to be a hitherto-unknown morph of 
kingsnake.  If you keep it, you discover when it sloughs that some joker had 
painted it.)

Two people believe that the rule (red on yellow = venomous, red on black = 
safe) is unreliable.  There are certainly a few non-venomous snakes with red 
on white, and there may be some with red on yellow.  As for venomous snakes 
which are YBRB, there don't seem to be any, but I disclaim all liability.

I had five correct answers and two incorrect ones (one of which quoted the 
rule correctly).  And one respondent explained why he didn't know or care.  

                                                        All the best,

                                                                        Bill