Crabs from Christmas Islands

 

Date of Issue : 7 June 2011

Here are new stamps from Christmas Island featuring four varieties of crabs which are found there.The land crabs of Christmas Island are remarkable for their abundance and the role they play in the ecology of the island's rainforest. Through their scavenging activities they recycle nutrients locked in fallen leaves. Their burrowing tills the soil and their browsing on tree fruits and shoots is probably an important factor in determining forest composition.

Twenty-three land or freshwater crabs have been identified on the island. The following  varieties are  featured on stamps .

Red crab Gecarcoidea natalis (60c)
The sight of the red crabs on their annual breeding migration is one of the outstanding natural spectacles of the world.

Robber crab Birgus latro (60c)
The robber crab lives mainly on fallen leaves and fruits of the rainforest, and is one of the largest and most common crabs on Christmas Island.

Jackson's crab Karstarma jacksoni ($1.20)
Along with the red and blue crabs, Jackson's crab is thought to be endemic to Christmas Island and is found in cool, moist environments.

Blue crab Discoplax hirtipes ($1.20)
The blue crab lives mainly on the fallen leaves and fruits of the rainforest and is one of the largest and most common crabs found on Christmas Island.

 

Gutter Strip

Year of the Rabbit…

 

 

Date of Issue : 11 January 2011

 

The Rabbit is the fourth sign in the Chinese zodiac and symbolises creativity, compassion and sensitivity. In the Chinese story of the Jade Rabbit, three sages transformed themselves into pitiful old men, and begged for food from a fox, a monkey and a rabbit. The fox and the monkey both had food to give to the old men, but the rabbit, who had no food to give, jumped into a blazing fire to offer his own flesh instead. The sages were so touched by the rabbit's sacrifice that they let him live in the Moon Palace, where he became known as the "Jade Rabbit".

The stamps show the development of the Chinese character for the Rabbit, shown fully in the $1.80 stamp, and the way it is derived from its pictorial representation, shown in the 60c stamp. Paper-cut motifs are used to pictorially represent the Rabbit in the 60c stamp. Paper cuts are one of the most popular forms of Chinese art and are commonly used to decorate windows, lanterns, mirrors, gates and walls during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

The miniature sheet tells the story (in Chinese and English) about the Jade Rabbit and how he came to be on the moon.

 

 

: Australia Post

Club News

INDIPEX 2011 – special features

My Stamp

Your Personalized Stamp  - only Rs.150per sheet.

One of the most exciting feature of the exhibition is the My Stamp which is being introduced by India Post for the first time in India. Also known as ‘Personalised stamp‘, My Stamp is a wonderful way to celebrate special occasions such as engagements, birth of a baby, or to send as greetings to loved ones and friends. You can now have photographs of yourself and your loved ones on a real India Post stamp sheet. Send out greetings on special occasions with a difference with stamps beaming your photograph or just preserve the stamp sheet.

The template on My Stamp would be printed on the six themes:

1. Trains
2. Aeroplanes
3. Wildlife
4. Panchatantra
5. Sun Signs
6. Taj Mahal

Each template is designed on one of the above themes and has 12 personalised stamps perferated on it. One can get their personalised stamps on their favourite photograph on all of the themes mentioned above. So come to the “My Stamp” counter at the INDIPEX 2011 with your photograph, or have one clicked there and walk out with your very own stamp. All for only Rs. 150 per sheet.

Read  highlights of INDIPEX 2011

: Sreejesh krishnan, Trivandrum