POSTAGE STAMPS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4767, 22 October 1924, Page 4

POSTAGE STAMPS.

GUIDE TO NATURAL HISTORY. INTERESTING INFORMATION. The appearance of the lion on the British Empire Exhibition stamps reminds us that much interesting information of a zoological nature may be gleaned from the postage stamps of the world (states B. S. H. Grant, F.R.P.S.L., in the “Daily Mail”). Quite a large number contain pictures of birds, animals, and fishes. Philately is thus a valuable aid in promoting knowledge of zoology by association of the animals portrayed with the countries picturing them. Elephants and tigers appear most frequently. Tigers form the principal, subjects for the low values of the Federated Malay States and elephants on the higher, while elephants are also prominent on many of the stamps of the Belgian Congo, Sirmoor, and Liberia.

Camels or dromedaries are depicted on the stamps of French Somali, Obock, Nyassa, Iraq, and the Sudan, while giraffes form the subject matter of a number of interesting labels of Abyssiania, Tanganyika, and Portuguese Nyassa. Abyssinia also has stamps showing the rhinoceros, ostrich, and stag.

One is not surprised to find the llama in evidence on the Peruvian stamp ? and the eagle on those of Mexico The Australian kangaroo stamps are well known to all. The emu and lyre birds are seen in certain values of the adhesive stamps of New South Wales. The quezal forms the central figure on the so-called “parrot" istamps of Guatemala, while French Guiana shows us the anteater.

Three countries in particular have a .whole series of stamps devoted to zoological subjects. On, those of Liberia we find a plantain eater, great egret, palm civit, fishing vulture, bommi fish, hippopotamus, chimpanzee, Agama lizard, lyre-horned antelope, and snakes. Newfoundland shows us the caribou, ptamigan, codfish, seals, and dogs, while Labuai and North Borneo include the Malay stag and tapir, the ciocodile, Argus pheasant, elephant, peacock, ihinoceros. cassowary, wild bull, and parrots.

This does not exhaust the list, for the Peace stamps of Japan of 1919 give us the dove, Western Australia the swan, Tasmania the platypus, Cape of Good Hope the. ram, and the Orange River Colony the springbok and gnu. Horseis, mules, and buffalo are depicted on the stamps of the United States.

Reference has been made to the lion. This animal also appears mi the first King George stamps of Great Britain and also on those of Persia and Paraguay, as well as upon the New Zealand Peace stamps of 1920. Thus is education value imparted by means of the postage stamp.