“While endeavouring to afford some information about those interesting and handsome adhesives emanating only from the Dead Letter Office at Ottawa, I regret being unable to give all their history or chronology. What is said here the writer has gained his knowledge by observation and experience. Doubtless there are others who can speak of matters connected with these stamps which the writer knows nothing of. In the first place they are scarce, very, which is to be accounted for when we consider the manner of their use. They are never found on Local Dead Letters, registered or unregistered. What have been seen here have all come from the United States, and always on returned dead registered letters. I discovered the manner of their use quite accidentally. A friend who travels in Canada for a United States firm showed me a letter which had been returned to his address in Michigan, and which he had posted in Canada for a Canadian address, and registered; and for some reason, misdirection or what not, the letter was not delivered to party addressed—had been sent to Dead Letter Office, Ottawa, where, on being opened to ascertain address of writer, it was resealed and adorned by Dead Letter Office Crown Official Seal Stamp, sent to Dead Letter Office, Washington, U.S., and then sent on registered to the writer’s address in Michigan, where he obtained it, and exhibited it triumphantly to me. “The stamp itself is a large oblong, 17 × 34, perforated, and printed in brown, on thick white paper. Inscribed in three lines, ‘POST OFFICE, CANADA—OFFICIALLY SEALED—DEAD LETTER OFFICE.’ “It would be appropriate to have the colour of the stamp _black_. “No. 2, C. P. A.” ENVELOPES. Issue I. End of 1877. _Two values._ On white paper, laid obliquely, without watermark; yellowish gum, extending nearly the whole length of the flap, which is pointed. The stamp is embossed in the right upper corner. Design: Diademed head of Queen Victoria to left in white relief, on ground of solid colour, enclosed by an oval band inscribed in Roman capitals, in white relief, “CANADA POSTAGE” at the top, and the value in words at the bottom. Shape of stamp, large upright oval. (_Illustrations 39, 40._) _Size A._ 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ _inches_. 1 c., very pale to very dark blue. 3 c., vermilion (shades). _Size B._ 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ _inches_. 3 c., vermilion (shades). Issue II. 1881. _Two values._ Similar in all respects to the last issue, except that the flap is tongue-shaped, instead of being pointed. (_Illustrations 39, 40._) _Size A._ 5⁹⁄₂₀ × 3¹⁄₁₀ _inches_. 1 c., blue (shades). 3 c., vermilion (shades). _Size B._ 5⁹⁄₁₀ × 3³⁄₁₀ _inches_. 3 c., vermilion (?). Issue III. 1888.