this, in a curve, is the inscription "POST OFFICE CANADA",
while below, in a similar curve, is "DEAD LETTER OFFICE". The border
consists of a handsome piece of engine-turned engraving. These labels
were normally perforated 12 but they are also known entirely
imperforate. Much misconception existed as to the use of these labels
until Major E. B. Evans, when visiting Canada in 1889, took the
opportunity of finding out exactly for what they were used. The results
of his investigations were published in the _Philatelic Record_ for
November, 1889, and as the article is full of interest we need make no
apology for reproducing it _in extenso:_--

When I was in Canada last July I made special enquiries about these
labels, as there appeared to be some mystery about their use.
Everyone agreed that they were not placed upon _all_ letters opened
at the Dead Letter Office and returned to their senders, and no two
persons seemed to have quite the same theory as to the rules for
their employment or non-employment in any particular case. Even
gentlemen connected with the Post Office at Halifax, such as Mr.
King and others, could give me no definite information. I therefore
determined to see what I could do at headquarters in Ottawa.

Fortunately, I was able, through a collector in an official
position, to obtain an introduction to the Deputy
Postmaster-General, who most kindly gave me the following
particulars, which show that the employment of the _officially
sealed_ labels is very restricted, thus accounting for their
rarity.

Letters in Canada, as in the United States, very frequently have on
the outside the well-known notice containing the address of the
sender, and a request that the letter may be returned if not
delivered within a certain time. These, of course, are not opened
at the Dead Letter Office, and in fact, I think, are ordered not to
be sent there, but are returned direct from the office to which
they were originally addressed or from the head office of the
district. On the other hand, those that have no indication of the
address of the sender on the outside are sent to the Dead Letter
Office, and there necessarily opened; but neither of these classes
thus properly dealt with is considered to require the
_officially-sealed label._ It is only if one of the former class,
having the