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.. Design:
.. include:: global.inc
.. index::
pair: Ruffus; Etymology
pair: Ruffus; Name origins
.. _design.why_ruffus:
###############################
Who is *Ruffus*?
###############################
**Cylindrophis ruffus** is the name of the
`red-tailed pipe snake <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cylindrophis_ruffus>`_ (bad python-y pun)
which can be found in `Hong Kong <http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/index.html>`_ where the author Leo Goodstadt comes from.
*Ruffus* is a shy creature, and pretends to be a cobra or a `banded krait <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bandedkrait.jpg>`__ by putting up its red tail and ducking its
head in its coils when startled.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| .. image:: images/wikimedia_cyl_ruffus.jpg | .. image:: images/wikimedia_bandedkrait.jpg |
| | |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| * Not venomous | * Deadly poisonous |
| * `Mostly Harmless <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mostly_Harmless>`_ | * `Seriously unfriendly <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_races_and_species_in_The_Hitchhiker's_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Ravenous_Bugblatter_Beast_of_Traal>`_ |
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Be careful not to step on one when running down country park lanes at full speed
in Hong Kong: this snake is a `rare breed <http://www.hkras.org/eng/info/hkspp.htm>`_!
*Ruffus* does most of its work at night and sleeps during the day: typical of many (but alas not all) python programmers!
The original `red-tail pipe <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Cyl_ruffus_061212_2025_tdp.jpg>`__ and `banded krait <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AB_054_Banded_Krait.JPG>`__ images are from wikimedia.
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