W. G. BAKER, Springfield, Mass.

This Department is conducted in the interest of Bicyclers, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on the subject. Our maps and tours contain many valuable data kindly supplied from the official maps and road-books of the League of American Wheelmen. Recognizing the value of the work being done by the L.A.W., the Editor will be pleased to furnish subscribers with membership blanks and information so far as possible.

Continuing the run from Poughkeepsie to Waterbury, leave Newtown and proceed to Southbury over a fairly good road, with a few hills. Leaving Southbury, keep to the right; but before getting beyond the town limits a sharp turn to the left is made, and at the fork beyond turn again to the right and run out to Strongtown. From Strongtown to Naugatuck the road improves slightly, and is in good condition. There is no difficulty in finding the way except at a point a mile or more before reaching Longmeadow Pond. Here a sharp turn to the right, another to the left, and a third to the right again are made, and it may be necessary to make inquiries in order to keep to the proper road. Passing Longmeadow Pond, continue to Naugatuck, and here cross the railroad, turn to the left, run up through Union City by Great Hill, to Waterbury, following on the eastern side of the railroad and Naugatuck River.

Leaving Waterbury, proceed direct to Waterville, running alongside the New York and New Haven Railroad, keeping to the left of Waterville by a somewhat steep hill, and then bearing to the right again into Pequabuck. Crossing the railroad, follow it to Terryville, and keeping sharp to the right on running out of Terryville, run to a junction of the roads about a mile out of Bristol. It will be wise to follow the map here, carefully turning to the left, and on entering Bristol keeping to the right again rather than running straight through the side streets of the town. Passing Forestville, cross the railroad at Plainville, and follow the railroad into New Britain. The run from New Britain to West Hartford is not difficult to find, except at about four miles out from the centre of the city the rider must keep to the right at the fork, and a little less than three miles farther on, instead of running into Elmwood, he should bear to the left and make straight for West Hartford. At West Hartford take Farmington Avenue and run into Broad Street, Hartford; thence proceed to Capital Avenue, Trinity Street, and Pearl Street to the City Hall.

The roads along this route are in reasonably good condition, but they are not very level. After reaching the Connecticut line, and especially after leaving Newtown, the wheelman will find that he has a good many very short but somewhat steep grades, and the danger is, if he is not an experienced rider, realizing that they are not very long hills, and not appreciating the strain that a succession of short hills gives to a rider, he may try to do them all. It should be borne in mind, therefore, that it is wiser occasionally to dismount and walk up several of these hills, or to dismount and rest on the top of one or two of them. Otherwise a run of this length, which is not over thirty miles, would tire the average rider and take away the pleasure of his run.

Note.—Map of New York city asphalted streets in No. 809. Map of route from New York to Tarrytown in No. 810. New York to Stamford, Connecticut in No. 811. New York to Staten Island in No. 812. New Jersey from Hoboken to Pine Brook in No. 813. Brooklyn in No. 814. Brooklyn to Babylon in No. 815. Brooklyn to Northport in No. 816. Tarrytown to Poughkeepsie in No. 817. Poughkeepsie to Hudson in No. 818. Hudson to Albany in No. 819. Tottenville to Trenton in No. 820. Trenton to Philadelphia in No. 821. Philadelphia in No. 822. Philadelphia-Wissahickon Route in No. 823. Philadelphia to West Chester in No. 824. Philadelphia to Atlantic City—First Stage in No. 825; Second Stage in No. 826. Philadelphia to Vineland—First Stage in No. 827; Second Stage in No. 828. New York to Boston—Second Stage in No. 829; Third Stage in No. 830; Fourth Stage in No. 831; Fifth Stage in No. 832; Sixth Stage in No. 833. Boston to Concord in No. 834. Boston in No. 835. Boston to Gloucester in No. 836. Boston to Newburyport in No. 837. Boston to New Bedford in No. 838. Boston to South Framingham in No. 839. Boston to Nahant in No. 840. Boston to Lowell in No. 841. Boston to Nantasket Beach in No. 842. Boston Circuit Ride in No. 843. Philadelphia to Washington—First Stage in No. 844; Second Stage in No. 845; Third Stage in No. 846; Fourth stage in No. 847; Fifth Stage in No. 848. City of Washington in No. 849. City of Albany in No. 854; Albany to Fonda in No 855; Fonda to Utica in No. 856; Utica to Syracuse in No. 857; Syracuse to Lyons in No. 858; Lyons to Rochester in No. 859; Rochester to Batavia in No. 860; Batavia to Buffalo in No. 861; Poughkeepsie to Newtown in No. 864.

This Department is conducted in the Interest of stamp and coin collectors, and the Editor will be pleased to answer any question on these subjects so far as possible. Correspondents should address Editor Stamp Department.

Some of the most advanced collectors are now mounting the stamps in their albums by affixing the hinge at the left side. First quality of hinges are used, and as small a portion of the stamp covered by the hinge as possible. This method has many advantages over the old plan of hinging at the top.

A philatelic button has been put on the market, and is finding quite a large sale. It is circular in form, bearing a suggestion of the common 2c. red stamp in the centre, with the motto in a circle, "Philatelia's Followers." The price is fifteen cents.

A gentleman has just disposed of his collection as a whole for $11,000. This collection was made during the fifteen years 1860-1875, when stamps were low in price, owing to the fact that study and observation had not yet determined the relative scarcity of the stamps then known. The collector kept a record of what his stamps cost, which was about $350 in all. The gem of the collection was an unused Cape of Good Hope, black 4d, error in red, which has since been sold for $2500. Many other rarities are in the collection, and the purchaser has already sold enough to pay the first cost, and has many valuable stamps left as a profit.

One of the leading philatelists of England has published an article claiming to have discovered the secret mark on the 30c. 1873 U. S. It turns out to be the regular faint centring mark, which shows on almost every U. S. stamp until the plate has been worn down by printing.

Nearly two years ago the Boston post-master had a cancelling die made in the form of the U. S. flag. His example has been widely followed throughout the Union, and now other countries are using a similar device. In Canada they use the "union-jack," and it makes a very neat cancellation. This is a very commendable practice from the point of view of philatelists. How often have we not been obliged to put a stamp in our albums which was cancelled with a dauber. The most advanced philatelists make it a point to get cancelled stamps bearing a date-mark wherever possible. Of course, in the case of very rare stamps they are glad to take whatever they can get.

The stock of sixpenny Bahamas, mauve, is entirely exhausted. Probably a new stamp in another color will be issued. This stamp is much scarcer than the catalogue price would indicate (25c., either used or unused).

Collectors of revenue stamps will be interested to know that Western Australia has issued one stamp of value £2625 (about $13,000). The Black Flag Mining Company purchased forty leases of mining lands for £525,000. The stamp duty was £2625. The government took a one-penny stamp and surcharged it with the amount, and the lessees affixed it to the lease. When that lease expires the collectors of Australia will bid against each other for the unique stamp.

J. V. Cooper.—Stamps bearing "Ultramar" with date are Cuban stamps issued between 1868 and 1876. The Congo 50c. green can be bought, used or unused, for 20c.

P. B. Shee.—The 2-1/2d. English surcharged 40 paras is used, for prepaying letters sent through the British Post-office at Constantinople. Germany, France, and Russia also have post-offices in Constantinople, as the Turkish P. O. is very inefficient.

J. N. Frazier.—No premium on your coins.

A. O. Hall.—"Speculative" stamps are those issued by governments primarily for the revenue to be raised by the purchase of the unused stamps by stamp-dealers and stamp-collectors. The stamps themselves are good for postage. Instances: the various "Seebeck" issues, the St. Anthony stamps of Portugal, etc. "Fraudulent" stamps are those not issued by a government for postal or revenue purposes, but are issued by unauthorized parties. Instances: the Principality of Trinidad, Clipperton Island, Nyassaland, etc.

Jacques Combes, Lycée, 106 Rue de la Pompe, Paris, wishes to exchange European stamps for United States stamps.

W. K. Dart.—There is no 2c. green Straits Settlement 1892. The 12-1/2c. Canada is worth 30c.; the 10c. pink, 4c.; the 5c. beaver, 5c. U. S. revenues are very well worth keeping, with the exception of the 2c. Bank Check, etc.

A. Cuenod.—The 5r. Switzerland unperforated is worth 15c., the 15r. unperforated 6c., the perforated 5r. and 10r., 2c. each.

G. H. Clark.—The surcharge "O.S." on New South Wales stamps and others means "Official Service." Your Canadian piece is a token, not a coin. Stamp-dealers, as a rule, are not collectors.

Harold C. Day, 420 Madison Avenue, New York city, wishes to exchange stamps.

Philatus.