The above quotation settles the fact that the first color in which the "seas" were printed was lavender. There has been some discussion on this point. Again, a correspondent of the _Weekly Philatelic Era_ wrote under date of "Dec. 20th" that "A government official of Canada states that the 2c Imperial postage stamp is to be changed in color from a lavender to a blue. One of your contemporaries states that the color is to be green[171]." Under date of "Ottawa, Dec. 29," another correspondent of the same paper writes[172]:--"The first issue of these geographical stamps, on the 7th instant, had the sea coloured a light lavender. About the 20th, I cannot fix the exact day, a second supply had the sea coloured a light blue, as nearly as I can judge Prussian blue. And now I am told the third lot are to have the seas much darker in colour, but that is only a rumour." A clipping from the _Winnipeg Free Press_, however, states that "the second shipment, which arrived on Dec. 13th, were of an entirely different print, although the fact passed unnoticed for some days. The sea on these stamps--and on all the thousands received since--is printed in pale green!" The first shipment is noted as "lavender or pale blue" as usual. Evidently the change in color took place within the first week or ten days after printing began. A dark shade of green is apparently as common as the pale green, and a cancelled copy dated January 13, 1899, is noted in _Ewen's Weekly Stamp News_. Doubtless it was issued much earlier. The lavender shade seems to have been reverted to in the later issues of the stamp, for it is noted in chronicles as having been received from Canada in February and March, 1899, and the stamp was considered obsolete in April. We venture to think, however, that it was not a reversion to lavender in the printing of the stamp, but rather the remainder of the first printings--for it is well known that when bundles of stamp sheets are placed in stock some of the first packages received may remain at the bottom of the pile for years, while the later ones, placed on top, are used to fill orders. [171] =ibid.=, XIII: 121. [172] =ibid.=, XIII: 129.