XN000022-1979-04-13 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 1979

NEW STAMPS TO FEATURE HK BUTTERFLIES

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FOUR OF HONG KONG'S BUTTERFLIES WILL BE FEATURED IN A SPECIAL ISSUE OF POSTAGE STAMPS ON JUNE 20.

TWO OF THE FOUR ARE RARE SPECIES.

THEY ARE THE BLUE PANSY (PRECIS OR ITHYA OR ITHYA), THE COMMON BLUEBOTTLE (GRAPHIUM SARPEDON SARPEDON) THE PURPLE SAPPHIRE (HEL FOPHORUS EPICLES PHOENICOPAR YPHUS) AND THE DARK-VEINED TIGER (DANAUS GENUTIA GENUTIA).

THE SET OF FOUR STAMPS WILL HAVE DENOMINATIONS OF 20 CENTS (BLUE PANSY), $1 (COMMON BLUEBOTTLE), $1.30 (PURPLE SAPPHIRE) AND $2 (DARK-VEINED TIGER).

+ALTHOUGH INCREASING URBAN DEVELOPMENT POSES A THREAT TO THE IR EXISTENCE MANY SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES CONTINUE TO THRIVE IN HONG KONG AND BRING COLOUR AND BRIGHTNESS TO OUR LIVES,+ A SPOKESMAN FOR THE POST OFFICE SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) IN EXPLAINING WHY BUTTERFLIES WERE CHOSEN AS THE THEME.

MISS JANE THATCHER, A LOCAL FREELANCE ILLUSTRATOR, DESIGNED THE SERIES AND THE FIRST DAY COVERS.

+ 1 HAD SPENT SOME TIME DOING RESEARCH ON LOCAL BUTTERFLIES AND FINALLY DECIDED ON TWO COMMON SPECIES AND TWO RARE ONES,+ MISS THATCHER SAID.

+COLOURFUL BUTTERFLIES ARE NOT ALWAYS DESIRABLE IN THE EYES OF THE DESIGNER AS THEY MUST BEAR VERY CLEAR MARKINGS TO PRODUCE THE BEST GRAPHIC EFFECT,+ SHE ADDED.

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