#018 Czech...Thanks Radek

The stamp on the left was a portait of Master Jan Hus,from 2002 Czech for Europe series.

Jan Hus was a Czech priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at Charles University in Prague.

He is famed for having been burned at the stake by civil authorities for what the Catholic Church considered to be his heretical views on ecclesiology, as the civil authorities saw heresy as a criminal offense. Hus was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the 16th century, and his teachings had a strong influence on the states of Europe, most immediately in the approval for the existence of a reformist Bohemian religious denomination, and, more than a century later, on Martin Luther himself.

The stamp on the right is Czech 2005 EUROPA issue of Gastronomy.

#017 Norway...Thanks Reidar!

The 8.50KR stamp shows a Eurasian Capercaillie and the 15.50KR stamp shows a Reindeer,also known as the caribou when wild in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer, widespread and numerous across the Arctic and Subarctic.

#016 Panama...Thanks Freddy!

These lovely WWF stamps were issued on Jun.27,2007,showing Red-backed squirrel monkey. This species has a restricted range along the Pacific coast of the Puntarenas province in south-western Costa Rica, and in Chiriqui and Veraguas provinces, northwestern Panama.

This small monkey has a slender body and a tail that is longer than the body itself. The tail is not prehensile, but it does aid in balance as this monkey leaps between branches in a squirrel-like fashion. The limbs are fairly long and slender, and the thighs are shorter in relation to the lower leg than in species that clamber, such as howler monkeys. This adaptation allows squirrel monkeys to exert more force when jumping and so they can propel themselves further. This monkey’s fur is short, thick and yellow brown in colour, with the underside being a paler yellow. As its common name, the red-backed squirrel monkey suggests, this primate has red-coloured fur on its back. It also bears a distinctive crown on its head; in the black-crowned subspecies (Saimiri oerstedii oerstedii), this crown is, as the name suggests, black, whereas in the grey-crowned Central American squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus) it is agouti in the male, and blackish-grey in the female. Males and females are similar in appearance, though males are slightly larger in size. During the breeding season males also become ‘fatted’, with a noticeable increase in size around the neck and shoulders.

In Panama, the black-crowned subspecies Saimiri oerstedii oerstedii has suffered habitat losses of 76%, and now occurs in fragmented forest areas throughout its range.

Like so many species the survival of the red-backed squirrel monkey is inextricably entwined with the future of the forests. Where there are protected reserves, there is hope for South America’s wildlife. The largest single population of the subspecies Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus occurs in the Manuel Antonio National Park in Panama. However this park is only 683 hectares in size. A recent survey (2003) did, however, indicate that the total population size for the red-backed squirrel monkey is significantly larger than had been previously estimated, numbering between 1300 and 1780 individuals. It will be extremely important to monitor and protect the remaining populations in the future, and find ways of securing their survival.

#015 Algeria...Thanks Omar!

The 2 stamps on the left are Algerian Youth & Children set,issued on July 28, 2009.

The 2 stamps on the right,with the first day postmark, are Farming Olive Tree set,issued on Nov 25, 2009, with the 15D stamp depicting the harvest of olives and the 20D stamp depicting the pression of olives. Very nice design!

#014 Vietnam Thanks Nguyen!

The 800d and 4000d stamps were issued on Jun.3,2008,depicting Hue's Court Music (The Masterpieces of the Oral and Intagible Heritage of Humanity).

With the meaning of “elegant”, Hue’s Court music mentions the music performed in annual occasions such as ceremonies, regional anniversaries as well as enthronements, funerals or official receptions. Among the diversified types of music, Court music is the only one that owns the National scope.

The existence of Court music was strongly threatened with upheavals in the 20th century, especially the collapse of monarchy and the continual wars. Losing the imperial scene, this traditional music lost one of its original functions. Nowadays, with the assistance of the Government and the local community, some old musicians are trying to resurrect this traditional music and deliver their skills to younger generations. Some remained forms of Court music are now the inspiration for Vietnamese temporary music.

The 1500d stamp was issued on Jul.1,2009,showing a Praying Mantis. Praying Mantises or Praying Mantids are carnivorous insects that live in warm areas, camouflaging them among plants. There are about 2,000 species of mantis. Most mantises are pea green or brown. Like all insects, they have 6 jointed legs, 2 antennae, large compound eyes, a hard exoskeleton and a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen). Mantis can rotate their triangular-shaped head in almost a full circle. Most adult mantises are from 2 to 6 inches (5-15 cm) long. Females are larger than the males.

The natural life span of a Praying Mantis in the wild is about 10-12 months, but some have been known to live up to 14 months in captivity. The males sometimes die suddenly 2 or 3 weeks after mating.

Praying Mantises eat flies, aphids, moths, butterflies and many other insects (including other mantids). Praying Mantises are useful in gardens, since they control the insect population. They will only eat live insects.

The 2000d stamp was issued on Sept.1,2009,from Ornamental Fish issue. It shows Clown Loaches (Botia macracanthus),a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the Cobitidae (loach) family of Cypriniformes.

#013 Maldives...Thanks George!

#012 Italy... Thanks Alfredo!

Thanks Alberto for this nice cover with Christmas cancels!

The 0.60 euro stamp is one of Italian 2009 EUROPA issue. It shows Galileo Telescope.Galileo made his first telescope in 1609,which became his most famous invention.

The 0.23 euro stamp,showing Biathlon, is a commemorative for 2006 Winter Olympics,Turin.