Sunday Stamps II - A-Z: 'C'

The Republic of Chad is the fifth largest country in Africa; located in central Africa it is bounded by Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.

Its wildlife includes the rhino, whose numbers have been decimated by poachers.

I have only one stamp from this country - it's a postage due stamp showing a rock painting.

Chad - 1962

My second stamp this week is also from 1962, and is the only stamp I have from Cuba. I think you can work out for yourself the date on which it was issued

Cuba - International Labour Organisation

The ILO was set up by the League of Nations after World War One. Over 180 countries are now members of this United Nations organisation.

For other 'C' related stamps visit the links at sunday-stamps-ii-140.

Road Signs _ Thematic Photography

Don't you just hate it when you are told to wait for the tour guide who will be holding a sign and they fail to show up. Packaged tours are not all they are cracked up to be.

The road signs round here are not much use.

Holes to be avoided

Our speed does not register

We fly over it

Mind you we take the hump when it disturbs they disturb the airflow.

We need eyes in the side of our head to know where to go to school

One we ignore

Doesn't apply to us

And remember this is where we come back to next April or May.

Switch on the sat-for Africa

This is an entry to Carmi's Thematic-photographic-382. delayed by Google security for me to log in the USA on a different computer.

A-Z Challenge 2015 - Butterflies 'J'

My butterfly theme is proving more difficult than I thought but more serious than what I found for - 

J - Jokers and Jesters

I discovered these in India, Indonesia and Africa. 

Joker caterpillar

The Joker butterfly (Bythia ilithyia) is sometimes called the Spotted Joker. Bythia is a genus of nymphalid butterflies commonly called the Jokers - I haven't discovered why.

Joker butterfly

The Jokers with their orange and black markings are found in Africa and India. Attracted to rotting fruit, they frequently open and close their wings when resting.

At Manokwan in a Western Papua rain forest the larvae of the Common Jester may be found feeding on nettles like the caterpillar below.

Common Jester caterpillar (Symbrenthia hippoclus)

My Common Jester butterfly from India is commonly spotted in hilly forests between 300 and 1500 metres high. They fly from March to December.

Common Jester (Symbrenthia lilaea)

This was photographed at Samsing in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. I now have to find out what is the difference in the species as the caterpillar and butterfly have different Latin names.

So the Joker and the Jester are teasing me even if their colouring is similar.

Love is like a butterfly
As soft and gentle as a sigh
The multicolored moods of love are like its satin wings
Love makes your heart feel strange inside
It flutters like soft wings in flight
Love is like a butterfly, a rare and gentle thing

I feel it when you're with me
It happens when you kiss me
That rare and gentle feeling that I feel inside
Your touch is soft and gentle

Photo attributions:

• Joker caterpillar: 3 March 2014, by Chandu Bandi, CC BY-SA 3.0
• The Joker Butterfly at Singanallur Lake, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India: 11 September 2009, by K Mohan Ray - CC BY-SA 3.0
• Symbrenthia hippoclus larva: Indonesia, W-Papua, Manokwan, 13 August 2010, upload by benchard, by Guido Bohne from Tangerand, Indonesia
• Common Jester: Samsing, Darjeeling, West Bengal, 19 March 2008 by J M Gary - CC BY-SA 3.0

Mammals - Sunday Stamps

I have used many of my animal stamps before and as you might expect a lot of big mammals appeared on stamps from African countries. I'm sure you will recognise these from Benin.

Benin - Lion and African (Cape) Buffalo

The stamps also carry their scientific name - Panthera leo (Lion) and Syncerus caffer caffer (Buffalo).

I had to find out more about Benin and the postmark gave me a clue to the capital city of Cotonou.

These are two stamps from a set of 7 issued on 20 September 1995. The highest denomination (300f) is part of a mini-sheet for Faune Africaine which shows a magnificent elephant.

I acquired two more of the set at the same time.

Benin - Impala and Chimpanzee

Aepyceros melampus and Pan troglodytes are their scientific names.

The International Union of Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species includes the Chimpanzee which ironically is possibly extinct in Benin.

To see other mammals you should visit the links at Viridian's Sunday-Stamps-188.