by the postmaster of Zurich, some years since, to the friend of a personal friend of mine, then resident in Switzerland; they were the only ones the postmaster had left. The word Zurich is absent from these stamps, but they have a general resemblance to the later 4 and 6-rappen stamps.

Touching that very rare stamp, the tornese 'arms' of Naples, and also the tornese with cross of Savoy, it is to be noted that the former is evidently the identical-grana Bourbon stamp, with the G changed into a T. The Provisional Government of Naples, being, perhaps, anxious at once to give some ocular proof of their being in possession of the post, changed the colour to blue; but why they in such a hurry issued a coin and stamp of a different denomination I know not. The tornese with cross of Savoy is, again, the same die with the centre erased (a process well known to engravers), and the cross engraved over it; the deeper parts of the older stamp appear on most genuine copies.

I will wind up this rambling letter with the mention of some new stamps, which I had not heard of until I received them from the Federal States, about three weeks since, nor have I yet met with them elsewhere. I believe them to be Government stamps, and intended to supersede all the local posts. They are rectangular and perforated, with head of Washington in an oval; at top, U. S. Inter. Rev. (Internal Revenue ?); at bottom, Express; and on the two sides, one cent, and two cents. The 1 cent is brick red; the 2-cent stamp I have in orange and in blue.

Since writing the above, I have received from Nicaragua the two kinds of stamps used there (in the interior, but not at Greytown), viz., the 2 centavos and 5 centavos; the former is printed in blue, the latter in black. I remain, yours obediently, Feb., 1863. W. H. H., Jun.

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

G. D. J., Lowndes Square.-The 14d. English essay is correctly described in Dr. Gray's Catalogue, as is also the envelope stamp bearing the same value.

A. B., Crow Hall.-The stamps you forwarded, 1, 2, and 3 florins in value, are Austrian bill-stamps.

J. S., Birmingham.-The higher-priced English envelopes can be procured from Somerset House, at the cost of their intrinsic value, the usual fee, the proper paper, a great waste of time, much trouble, and a considerable amount of patience.

The 14d essay (alluded to above) can only be pur chased, and that very rarely, when a collection is broken up for sale.

It would not be right to divulge the components of any preparation calculated to obliterate the defacing marks on stamps.

There are no 2d. or d. stamps for British Columbia. They are a myth of the continental collectors, like the yellow Nova Scotia, &c.

C. B. PLOWRIGHT, North Wooton.-The black official V. R. is the rarest of the English stamps that have been circulated. There are a few, but very few, in collectors' albums.

H. H. H. HUTCHINSON, Brooklands, Uppingham.The stamp you allude to emanated from a Glasgow firm wishing to introduce an universal ocean postage, and distributing circulars promulgating their views, impressed with one of those prettily-imagined effigies.-The Sydney stamps, so called from bearing a view of Sydney,

are known also under the name of Gold Diggings.' They have been long disused. A full account of them is given elsewhere by an able hand.

X. Y. Z., Manchester.-Your query is answered above.

NESTOR, Dublin.-Search among your hundreds of black penny postage stamps for the V. R. official. A dozen of them would be worth more than all the rest.

R. COWLEY SQUIER, Dover.-We should imagine parties knowingly selling forgeries would be indictable in the county court; but we fear it would be difficult to prove a guilty knowledge. We think the names of such postal swindlers ought to be published.

A CORRESPONDENT sends a stamp, black on blue paper; angels supporting a shield; Hamburg Boten, the superscription; but, no value being specified on it, the stamp may probably be a mere parcel fabel. P. S. D., Brighton.-The dated Spanish official, of which we give an engraving, is a fac-simile of the postage label of the same year, but printed on coloured paper, and specifying the weight allowed by, not the value of, the stamp.

P. W. THACKWELL, Guernsey, wishes to know the value of a Vancouver's Island, and a Venezuelan stamp, and the best place to procure them. We forward him a price-list accordingly.

W. C, ALLEN, 20, Bootham, York, sends a drawing of 'Langton's Paid Pioneer Express,' received on a letter from California. We have never heard of it. He has forwarded us the original, which we will engrave in our next number, that collectors generally may have an opportunity of inquiry. In reply to his second query,-lepton is the singular, and lepta the plural, of the Greek coin, rather lower in value than a French centime. It is a pity the names of the foreign coins are not more correctly spelt in catalogues.

F. K., Worthing.-Your query about the Ocean Postage stamp is answered above.

E. W. G., Torquay.-The Pacific Steam Navigation Company's stamps are, or rather were, local, and used by the Company exclusively. We say were, as we understand they are now obsolete.

A SUBSCRIBER.-Common English postage stamps, defaced, are now valueless."

PLYMOUTH POST.-The 3 kreuzer, dark blue, is the only Thurn and Taxis stamp of any rarity. The varieties are all noted in Brown's Catalogue.

ADVERTISEMENTS for insertion in the STAMP COLLECTOR'S MAGAZINE, should reach the Office, 13, George Street, Bath, not later than the 10th of the month.

Nicaraguan Stamp.-Will be ready in a Week. A beautiful proof of the Nicaraguan Stamp (equal to the original) will be sent for 13 postage stamps. Only 75 proofs of this will be taken, each proof will be numbered, and then the block burnt. An early application is really necessary, 25 Copies being already sold. Address, NICARAGUA, 20, Canterbury Place, Lambeth Road, S.

Collectors sending Duplicate Stamps to R. Pegg, 11, Holles Street, Dublin, will receive the value by return of post. Stamps exchanged.

Stamp and Co., 6, Ruperra Street, Newport (Mon.), Dealers in Foreign Postage Stamps, and Commission Agents. Send stamped envelope for List.

Foreign and Colonial Postage Stamps. A great variety of Foreign and other Postage Stamps (used and unused) offered for Sale, at low prices, by W. LINCOLN, jun. (at W. S. Lincoln & Son's), 462, New Oxford Street, London, W. C. Priced List sent on receipt of stamped envelope.

D. Mc Corkindale, 70, George Square, Glasgow, will send his February List of 600 Stamps, on receipt of stamped envelope.

Mr. J. Hooper, 1, Hanover Court, Milton Street, London, E. C. Foreign Postage Stamps bought, sold, or exchanged. The largest stock of Foreign Postage Stamps, and the cheapest Dealer in London. A List of 1000 varieties sent on receipt of a stamped envelope.

N. Short begs to thank Collectors for the reception the former editions of his Shilling Stamp Album has received, and informs them that he has been compelled to raise its price to ls. 3d. Some misunderstanding having arisen between agents and purchasers since the alteration in price, N. S. hereby declares that the proper price of his Album is now 1s. 3d.

Wholesale Dealers in Foreign Postage Stamps should at once procure Fleet & Jackson's List, the cheapest Price List ever issued, by enclosing stamped envelope to 0. FLEET, Peckham, Surrey. N. B.-Collections of any number made up to order, clean or used. Discount allowed as per Price List.

Jas. J. Woods, Olive Street (late Regent Street) Hartlepool, Dealer in Postage Stamps, Wholesale and Retail. List sent on receipt of two stamps. Wanted to purchase, Colonial Stamps by the dozen.

W. A. M., Box C 3, Post Office, Manchester, executes all commissions in buying or selling Foreign Stamps. Postage paid on all orders over 18.

J. G., 14, Phoebe Anne Street, Everton, Liverpool, can supply almost every variety of Foreign Postage Stamps on Reasonable Terms. His Stock includes those of Wallachia, Newfoundland, Venezuela, Nevis, Antigua, Monte Video, Chili, Buenos Ayres, Liberia, United States (Envelopes and Local), &c., &c. Price List sent on receipt of a stamped-directed envelope. J. G. also buys very Rare Stamps.

Postage Stamps.-Several Hundreds of the above for Sale at greatly Reduced Prices :-Bergedorf s., 2d.; Lubecks., 2d.; Mecklenburgs., 2d. ; and numerous others, at equally low prices. Printed List on receipt of stamp. Address, A. B., 7, Charles Street, York.

Every Stamp Collector should purchase Short's 1s. 3d. Album. Post free 1s. 5d. N. SHORT, Green Hill, Grantham.

George Bolton, 16, Spring Street, Hull, wishes to buy several Collections, containing from 300 to 600 stamps each.

Any one requiring Rare or other Stamps may be supplied, by addressing (prepaid) to B. P. M., 8, Norfolk Place, Norfolk Street, Beverly Road, Hull.

Mr. William Cooke, Dover, on receipt of stamp, will forward some Stamps for inspection. He has 3500 duplicates. Stamps Bought.

Foreign Postage Stamps. Upwards of 800 varieties for Sale, including the most Rare and Obsolete kinds. Send 2 stamps for List to Y. Z., Moorgate, Rotherham, Yorkshire.

Stamps.-Robert Harley, 14, Gloucester Street, Glasgow, sends his March List of upwards of 600 varieties, on receipt of stamped-directed envelope.

Send Two Stamps to John M. Lennard, jun., Middlesbro'-on-Tees, for his new List (fourth edition). He has a large quantity of the following:-China, Ceylon, from 1d. to 2s., used and unused; Old Spanish Dated; Sicily, Naples, Ceylon, and Mauritius Envelopes, &c.

James Shelton, Grimsby, will send his List of 500 Stamps, on receipt of two stamps. J. S. also buys Stamps.

C. H. Hill, 425, Argyle Street, Glasgow, sends his Price-lists of 600 Rare Stamps, on receipt of stamped envelope.

The Cheapest House in London is the Universal Stamp Depot, 24, Bow Street, Covent Garden, W. C. Unused Continental, from 1d.

W. Young, 1, Kent Street, Glasgow, has for Sale a great many Stamps. Ionian Islands, Yellow, 4d.; Blue, 5d.; Set of Three, Is. 3d.; H. Scheerenbeck's Local Hamburg Stamps, 1s. 4d. per Set of Ten; Lubeck and Bergedorf, ls. 4d. per Set; Mecklenburg, sch., 1d. each; Bergedorf, Hamburg, Lubeck, sch. ; Denmark, 2 sk.; France, 2 c.; Germany,, gr.; Hanover, 3 pf.; Malta, d., 2d., each. All these are unused. List sent, on receipt of stamp for postage. W. Y. also buys Stamps.

'Regio Capito,' 149, Howard Place, Hanley, Staffordshire, have a large quantity of Foreign Stamps, which they are prepared to sell at remarkably cheap prices, including Bavaria, Hamburg, Saxony, Italy, Hanover, Malta, India, Bremen, Russia, &c. Enclose stamped envelope for printed List.

Two Hundred Foreign Stamps for Sale. All different. Enclose two stamps for particulars to 'FRED,' Bute Dock Post Office, Cardiff.

Marvel of Cheapness ! Short's 1s. 3d. Album. Post free, 1s. 5d. N. SHORT, Green Hill, Grantham,

Foreign Postage Stamps.-Send a stamped envelope for a List of the above to J. PARKER, Box 53, Post Office, Hartlepool.

Jackson and Barker, 77, Canning Street, Liverpool, and St. Stephen's Road, Norwich, can snpply, in any quantity, the following and many other scarcer Stamps :Nevis, Antigua, Bahamas, Venezuela, British Columbia, &c. Stamped envelope to accompany every communication. Agents for Continental Dealers.

Mount Brown's Catalogue of British, Colonial, and Foreign Postage Stamps. Third Edition. Price 18.; Post free, 1s. 1d. Interleaved, and Bound in Morocco Cloth, 2s; Post free, 2s. 2d.

Mount Brown's Postage-Stamp or Crest Album, Ruled in 1700 Divisions, on Best White Drawing Paper, and Half-bound. Price 7s. 6d,; Post free, 8s. 124, Cheapside, London, and all Stationers and Booksellers. Price List of Unused Postage Stamps on receipt of a stamped envelope.

Clean and Used Foreign Postage Stamps. Dealers and Collectors should at once apply for the cheapest Price List ever issued. Stamps sent on approbation. Collections of any number made up to order, of clean or used Stamps. All Stamps sent next post to order received. Ionian Isles, 1s. 4d. per Set; Luxembourg new 1 c., 8d. per dozen; French new 2 c., 10d. per dozen. Address, Mr. O. FLEET, Peckham, Surrey.

W. Diamond, Dealer in Postage Stamps since June, 1857, has for Sale nearly every known stamp; Buys and Sells Collections; Exchanges scarce Stamps; also purchases the same. Any one having such to dispose of are requested to communicate with him, at Rifle House, Westbourne Grove, London, W. Copy the address, and send it to your friends, or, what is better, recommend them all to take in regularly the Stamp Collector's Magazine.

All kinds of Rare and Old Foreign Postage Stamps, amongst which are St. Lucia, Nevis, Pony Express, Confederate States, Local American, and Greek, singly or in sets. French Colonies, 1 c., 5 c., and 10 c., 6d. each, and 40 c., 9d.; Ionian Islands, 1s. 6d. per Set of Three; all clean. Address, Mr. F. E. MILLAR, 166, Queen's Road, Dalston, London, N. E. N.B.-Price List forwarded receipt of stamped-directed envelope.

on

Mr. George Prior, of 48, Fenchurch Street, London, E. C., has large numbers of Foreign Postage Stamps for Sale, comprising several hundred varieties. A very large and entirely new Price List forwarded on receipt of two stamps (no envelope required), containing an immense assortment of clean Stamps now out of use. An early application is requested.

Rare Foreign Postage Stamps.-Antigua, 1d. and 6d.; Bahamas, Nevis, St. Lucia, Venezuela, Pacific Steam Co., Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Envelopes), Confederate States, United States local Stamps, Ceylon (Envelopes), Moldo-Wallachia, Greece, Ionian Islands, Wurtemburg (Envelopes), Great Britain, 2d., 3d., 4d., 6d., 9d., (Envelopes), &c., &c., supplied at low prices. List forwarded on receipt of two stamps and addressed envelope.-MOUNT BROWN, 124, Cheapside, London.

'Forged Stamps: How to Detect them.' By Thoruton Lewes and Edward Pemberton. Containing accurate accounts and descriptions of all Forgeries. Post free, 1s. 1d. All orders to be sent to E. PEMBERTON, Beaufort Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Nearly ready.

Now Ready, post 4to., Price Fire Shillings. Oppen's Postage-Stamp Album and Catalogue of British and Foreign Postage Stamps. Containing every information to guide the Collector, with a Full Account of all the Stamps of every Country. The Album, price 3s. 6d., and Catalogue, price 2s. 6d., can be had separately. London: B. BLAKE, 421, Strand.

Arthur O'Leary's Stamp Galop.-The most Successful Galop of the Season, and nightly encored. The Title-page is beautifully embellished, in Colours, with Postage Stamps of Foreign Nations. Sent free for Twelve Stamps. To be had of all Music-sellers and of the Publishers, EwER & Co., 87, Regent Street, London.

Stafford Smith and Smith's Improved Adhesive Labels for Postage-Stamp Albums. Being a Set of upwards of 80 Titles, printed in Blue and Gold, with Ornamental Borders. Published at 2s. 6d. The remaining Sets now selling at 1s. each; post free, 1s. 1d. Entered at Stationers' Hall.

Important to those about to Collect.

Stafford Smith and Smith's Five-Shilling Packet of Foreign Postage Stamps. Containing 50 varieties of Foreign Stamps, all in good condition, many being unobliterated. Post free, 5s. 1d.

To Collectors of Unobliterated Postage Stamps. Stafford Smith and Smith's Two-andSixpenny Packet of Unobliterated Postage Stamps. Containing 20 varieties of Colonial and Foreign Stamps, all unobliterated. Post free, 2s. 7d.

To Collectors of Arms, Crests, and Monograms. Stafford Smith and Smith's Key to Several Hundred Varieties of Arms, Crests, Monograms, &c. Price 1d.; post free, 2d.

This Magazine will be forwarded regularly every month, to any part of the world, on receipt of the annual subscription of Four Shillings; which may be remitted in unused postage stamps current in the country whence the order is received.

Stafford Smith & Smith, 13, George Street, Bath, England.

Ce Magasin-ci se sera transmis tous les mois, à toutes les parties du monde, en envoyant aux Messieurs Smith la souscription annuelle (5 francs), en timbres-poste neufs du pays d' où vient l'ordre.

Stafford Smith & Smith, 13, George Street, Bath, England.

Questo Magazzino sara trasmiso tutti i mesi, in ciascuno parte del mondo dagli autori, ricevendo il prezzo annuale (5 lire), in franchi bolli non segnati del paese dove arrivi il comando.

Stafford Smith & Smith, 13, George Street, Bath, England.

Ese Almacen sera envia o cada mes à todos los partes del mundo por los publicadores á la receta del precio anual (20 reales), en sellos del correo nuevos del pais del qual séu llegato el orden. Stafford Smith & Smith, 13, George Street, Bath, England.

Dieses Journal wird jeden Monat nach allen Ländern der Welt von den Herausgebern befürden werden, nach Empfang des jährlichen Betrages, (1 thaler), welcher in ungebrauchten Briefmarken von dem Lande, von welchem die Order gekommen ist, entrichtet werden kann.

Stafford Smith & Emith. 13, George Street, Bath, England,

London: Published by E. MARLBOROUGH & Co., 4, Ave Maria Lane, E.C.; and STAFFORD SMITH & SMITH, Foreign Stamp and Crest Depôt, 13, George Street, Bath, to whose care all Communications for the Editor are to be addressed.

up hot, well buttered, peppered, and mustarded (oh! shade of Johnson !), in a silver dish, with the appropriate representation of a mouse-trap, accurately modelled, on the top of the cover as a handle. Although my friend is the least bit of a bore, being always taken up with some strange hobby, he is a good fellow in the main, albeit rather given to blurt out unpleasant truths in all unconsciousness.

I seldom go by appointment, but not long since received a note from him to the effect that, having just had a present of the richest toasting cheese, would I? Would I not! I stopped to read no more, but rushed out of the house, to get through all the avocations of the day as speedily as possible, that nothing might be left requiring attention in the evening, as I thought I ought to go early, and afford him the sunshine of a little more of my company than usual, in return for his hospitality.

I found him, as I had expected, busily occupied with his last mania, the collection of postage stamps. Some of these he was carefully arranging in an album; and on the names and colours of them, and the trouble he had taken to obtain some of them, he expatiated for two mortal hours, totally regardless of the patent fact that I was gaping three times a minute, widely enough to swallow toasted cheese, silver dish, mousetrap, and all; too intent was he on his darling stamps to look at me. I was obliged to listen to keep myself at all awake, and, although I could scarcely comprehend a word of the soporific lecture, I suppose the words, by some incomprehensible process, made an impression on that wonder of wonders, the brain; but,

'Like Homer's heroes at the feast we sat,
But not like them, who wisely left the chat,
Till fully sated with the lean and fat;'

for my companion rattled away on the eternal topic. 'What an exquisite colour!' taking off the cover;-'just like the new Segna Tassa I was showing you.' I cordially echoed the ejaculation,-it was a rich colour, though without comprehending the comparison; of course it was some confounded postage stamp he meant. 'Have you heard from your sister yet?' She had just sailed, no, steamed (I like to be correct), to join her husband in India; and I was thinking it very friendly of him to take an interest in her safe arrival, especially as he had never set eyes on her, although I grudged the time it took to make the expected reply, for toasted cheese ought to be eaten in a liquid state, before it has time to curdle; but the secret of the sympathy soon oozed out. 'You know you promised to ask her to look out for the red half-anna India for me.' Sinner that I am, I had totally forgotten the promise, though I suppose I must have made it. However, I adroitly managed to change the conversation to something else. But,

'Though I called another, Abra came.'

6

Like Cato's speeches, which always ended with a denunciation of Carthage, never fell a sentence from my entertainer's lips, unadorned with a postage stamp. After a slight lull, I was bending low in adoration of a second supply, all hot.' 'Do you know you have a bald place in your head, just the size of an old Finland envelope stamp ?' Rather too personal; yet I managed to gulp it down with a delicious mouthful, as soft as butter, and a glass of first-rate foaming bottled stout. 'Ah! that's some of Barclay's best. Sensible people they are at Barclay's, they collect postage stamps.' I prudently forbore ignoring the sequitur. The pattern of your waistcoat reminds me of the reticulations on the old Hanover stamps.' 'Your

tie is just the colour of the half-baj. Roman.' Et cetera, and so forth, usque ad

Well, the banquet over, we neared the fire, each with a stiff nightcap by way of digestive. Time was when we should have