AGE" at the
top, and "THREE PENCE" below. Above the beaver is an Imperial crown
which breaks into the oval band and divides the words "CANADA" and
"POSTAGE." This crown rests on a rose, shamrock, and thistle (emblematic
of the United Kingdom) and on either side are the letters "V R"
(_Victoria Regina_, i.e. Queen Victoria). In each of the angles is a
large uncolored numeral "3". Mr. Howes tells us that this stamp was
designed by Sir Stanford Fleming, a civil engineer and draughtsman.

[Illustration]

The beaver, depicted on this stamp, rejoices in the scientific name of
_Castor fiber_. It is a rodent of social habits and was at one time
widely distributed over Europe and North America. It is now practically
extinct except in Canada and even there it is said to be in great danger
of extermination. Full-grown animals vary in length from thirty to
thirty-six inches. They are covered with short, thick fur, which is of
considerable value and their structural peculiarities are well worth
noting. The beaver is furnished with powerful incisor teeth, with which
it is able to bite through fairly large trees, and its fore paws are
very strong. Its hind feet are webbed, so that it is a powerful swimmer,
and its tail is flattened, and serves as an excellent rudder. Its ears
are small and when laid back prevent any water entering them. Beavers
generally live in colonies, and show remarkable intelligence and
ingenuity in the construction of their homes or "lodges" and in the
building of dams, where water in the vicinity of their dwellings has
become too shallow to suit their tastes. These dwellings are often
constructed on the banks of rivers, but the Canadian beaver is
particularly fond of building lodges in the centre of large expanses of
fairly shallow water. These are made of turf, tree-trunks, and other
materials, and are often used as store houses for food reserves, as well
as for living in.

The 6d stamp follows the usual upright rectangular form and its central
design consists of the portrait of Prince Albert, the Royal Consort. The
portrait is enclosed within an upright oval inscribed in a similar
manner to the 3d but with, of course, "SIXPENCE" on its lower portion.
The numeral "6" is shown in each of the four angles. Albert Francis
Charles Augustus Emanuel the younger of the two sons of Ernest, Duke of
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was born in 1819. He was carefully educated at
Brussels and Bonn (1836-8), where he showed himself an