ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – MANY-COLOURED RUSH TYRANT (TACHURIS RUBRIGASTRA) #2

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Many-coloured Rush Tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Tyrannidae
Genus : Tachuris
Species : T. Rubrigastra

Description:

The Many-coloured rush tyrant (Tachuris rubrigastra) or Many-colored rush tyrant is a small passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family. It is the only member of the genus Tachuris and its relationships with the other members of the family are uncertain. It inhabits marshland and reedbeds around lakes and rivers. It is particularly associated with stands of Scirpus. The nest is built among plant stems.

There are four subspecies: T. r. rubrigastra is the most widespread, occurring from south-east Brazil to southern Argentina and central Chile. T. r. alticola is found in the Andes of south-east Peru, west Bolivia and north-west Argentina. T. r. libertatis is found in coastal Peru while T. r. loaensis is restricted to Antofagasta Region in northern Chile.

It is a small bird, 10.5 cm in length. The tail is short, the wings are short and rounded and the bill is slender. As the bird's name suggests, the plumage is very colorful. The back and rump are green while the underparts are yellow apart from the white throat, black breastband and red undertail-coverts. The face is dark blue-grey, there is a yellow stripe over the eye and the crown is dark with a red patch that is often concealed. The wings and tail are dark with a white wingbar and white outer tail-feathers. Juveniles are considerably duller than the adults.

Binomial Name:

Name : Tachuris rubrigastra
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : 4 (Rubigastra, Alticola, Libertatis, Ioaensis)
Synonyms : Sylvia rubrigastra

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – CHESTNUT-BACKED TANAGER (TANGARA PRECIOSA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Chestnut-backed tanager (Tangara preciosa)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Thraupidae
Genus : Tangara
Species : T. Preciosa

Description:

The Chestnut-backed tanager (Tangara preciosa) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Atlantic Forest in south-eastern Brazil, north-eastern Argentina, eastern Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is closely related to the rarer black-backed tanager, and females of the two species are indistinguishable. This bird is characterized by its green breast, and chesnut colored back. Before research was completed, this animal was often mistaken for a result of a mutated black-backed tanager ("Tangara peruviana"). It is now known that this is not the case, and though the two species are related, they are not in fact the same species. The tanager is not in any danger, and is plentiful in the areas that it resides in. Further studies show that this animal is non-invasive, which simply means that it will not invade areas other than its own region.

Binomial Name:

Name : Tangara preciosa
Taxonomist : Jean Louis Cabanis (Berlin - Germany)
Year : 1850
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 3 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – HUMMINGBIRDS – GLITTERING-BELLIED EMERALD (CHLOROSTILBON LUCIDUS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Glittering-bellied emerald (Chlorostilbon lucidus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Apodiformes
Family : Trochilidae
Genus : Chlorostilbon
Species : C. Lucidus

Description:

The Fawn-breasted tanager (Pipraeidea melanonota) is a species of tanager with a blue head and yellow breast. It is in the genus Pipraeidea, along with the Blue-and-yellow tanager. It occurs in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the highlands of northeastern Argentina, south Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Binomial Name:

Name : Chlorostilbon lucidus
Taxonomist : George Shaw (Bierton - England)
Year : 1812
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : Chlorostilbon aureoventris

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – FAWN-BREASTED TANAGER (PIPRAEIDEA MELANONOTA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Fawn-breasted tanager (Pipraeidea melanonota)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Thraupidae
Genus : Pipraeidea
Species : P. Melanonota

Description:

The Fawn-breasted tanager (Pipraeidea melanonota) is a species of tanager with a blue head and yellow breast. It is in the genus Pipraeidea, along with the Blue-and-yellow tanager. It occurs in the Andes of northwestern Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, as well as in the highlands of northeastern Argentina, south Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Binomial Name:

Name : Pipraeidea melanonota
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1819
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

1999 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 4, from Birds and Trees Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 14th, 1999
Printed: 35.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 7

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – GOLDEN-WINGED CACIQUE (CACICUS CHRYSOPTERUS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Golden-winged cacique (Cacicus chrysopterus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Icteridae
Genus : Cacicus
Species : C. Chrysopterus

Description:

The Golden-winged cacique (Cacicus chrysopterus) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

Binomial Name:

Name : Cacicus chrysopterus
Taxonomist : Nicholas Aylward Vigors (Old Leighlin - Ireland)
Year : 1825
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 5

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – FRECKLE-BREASTED THORNBIRD (PHACELLODOMUS STRIATICOLLIS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Freckle-breasted thornbird (Phacellodomus striaticollis)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Furnariidae
Genus : Phacellodomus
Species : P. Striaticollis

Description:

The Freckle-breasted thornbird (Phacellodomus striaticollis) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.

Binomial Name:

Name : Phacellodomus striaticollis
Taxonomist : Alcide d'Orbigny (Couëron - France) & Frédéric de Lafresnaye (Falaise - France)
Year : 1838
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 3 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 4

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – COMMON MINER (GEOSITTA CUNICULARIA)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Common miner (Geositta cunicularia)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Furnariidae
Genus : Geositta
Species : G. Cunicularia

Description:

The Common miner (Geositta cunicularia) is a passerine bird of South America, belonging to the ovenbird family. It is a ground-dwelling bird which feeds on insects and seeds. It has about 9 different subspecies, some of which may be better treated as separate species.

It is 14 to 16 cm long with a fairly long, slightly downcurved bill. The plumage varies geographically but is basically brown above and pale below with a streaked breast, pale stripe over the eye, dark edge to the ear-coverts and pale rufous bar across the wing. The tail is dark with a buff base and variable amounts of buff on the outer feathers. The trilling song is often given in flight and also varies geographically.

The species occurs in open habitats such as grassland, sand dunes and beaches from sea-level to high in the Andes. It is widespread and sometimes common across much of Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, parts of Peru and Bolivia and in southernmost Brazil. In winter there is some northward migration by southern birds with a few reaching Paraguay.

The bird lays two or three white eggs in a chamber at the end of a tunnel, up to 3 metres long, dug into an earth bank or sand dune.

Binomial Name:

Name : Geositta cunicularia
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1816
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 4

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – BIRDS – SONGBIRDS – LONG-TAILED REED FINCH (DONACOSPIZA ALBIFRONS)

Animals - Birds - Songbirds

Long-tailed reed finch (Donacospiza albifrons)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Aves
Order : Passeriformes
Family : Emberizidae
Genus : Donacospiza
Species : D. Albifrons

Description:

The Long-tailed reed finch (Donacospiza albifrons) is a species of bird traditionally placed in the Emberizidae family. It has been suggested though that its nearest relations may be the finch-like tanagers of the genus Poospiza in the family Thraupidae. It is the only member of its genus, Donacospiza.

It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are temperate grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and swamps.

Binomial Name:

Name : Donacospiza albifrons
Taxonomist : Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot (Yvetot - France)
Year : 1817
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : None, or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2000 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 4, from Birds Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: September 27th, 2000
Printed: 25.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 5

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 35 mm. x 22 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ARCHITECTURE - LIGHTHOUSES - UNCLASSIFIED

Architecture - Lighthouses

Unclassified

Characteristics:

Scope : All items related with  Lighthouses

Description :

A Lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and used as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.

Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals, reefs, safe entries to harbors, and can also assist in aerial navigation. Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined due to the expense of maintenance and use of electronic navigational systems.

History :

Before the development of clearly defined ports, mariners were guided by fires built on hilltops. Since raising the fire would improve the visibility, placing the fire on a platform became a practice that led to the development of the lighthouse. In antiquity, the lighthouse functioned more as an entrance marker to ports than as a warning signal for reefs and promontories, unlike many modern lighthouses. The most famous lighthouse structure from antiquity was the Pharos of Alexandria, although it collapsed during an earthquake centuries later.

The intact Tower of Hercules at A Coruña, Spain gives insight into ancient lighthouse construction; other evidence about lighthouses exists in depictions on coins and mosaics, of which many represent the lighthouse at Ostia. Coins from Alexandria, Ostia, and Laodicea in Syria also exist.

The modern era of lighthouses began at the turn of the 18th century, as lighthouse construction boomed in lockstep with burgeoning levels of transatlantic commerce. Advances in structural engineering and new and efficient lighting equipment allowed for the creation of larger and more powerful lighthouses, including ones exposed to the sea. The function of lighthouses shifted toward the provision of a visible warning against shipping hazards, such as rocks or reefs.

The Eddystone Rocks were a major shipwreck hazard for mariners sailing through the English Channel. The first lighthouse built there was an octagonal wooden structure, anchored by 12 iron stanchions secured in the rock, and was built by Henry Winstanley from 1696 to 1698. His lighthouse was the first tower in the world to have been fully exposed to the open sea.

The civil engineer, John Smeaton, rebuilt the lighthouse from 1756–59; his tower marked a major step forward in the design of lighthouses and remained in use until 1877. He modelled the shape of his lighthouse on that of an oak tree, using granite blocks. He pioneered the use of "hydraulic lime," a form of concrete that will set under water, and developed a technique of securing the granite blocks together using dovetail joints and marble dowels. The dovetailing feature served to improve the structural stability, although Smeaton also had to taper the thickness of the tower towards the top, for which he curved the tower inwards on a gentle gradient. This profile had the added advantage of allowing some of the energy of the waves to dissipate on impact with the walls. His lighthouse was the prototype for the modern lighthouse and influenced all subsequent engineers.

Philatelic Issues

2016 – Uruguay – Unique Miniature Sheet, from Blind Congress Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 20th, 2016
Printed: 10.000 Copies
Type: Unique Miniature Sheet from Series
Value: UYP 20

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 120 mm. x 70 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – AMPHIBIANS – FROGS – SQUALIROSTRIS SCINAX (SCINAX SQUALIROSTRIS)

Animals - Amphibians - Frogs

Squalirostris Scinax (Scinax squalirostris)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Amphibia
Order : Anura
Family : Hylidae
Genus : Scinax
Species : S. Squalirostris

Description:

The Squalirostris Scinax (Scinax squalirostris) is a species of frog in the Hylidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and possibly Peru. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, temperate grassland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, intermittent freshwater marshes, pastureland, rural gardens, heavily degraded former forest, ponds, and canals and ditches.

Binomial Name:

Name : Scinax squalirostris
Taxonomist : Adolpho Lutz (Rio de Janeiro - Brazil)
Year : 1925
Subspecies : None or not data available
Synonyms : None or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Not Evaluated, or not data available

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 4 of 4, from Amphibians and Reptiles Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: February 15th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 22 mm. x 35 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – REPTILES – TURTLES – HILAIRE’S TOADHEAD TURTLE (PHRYNOPS HILARII)

Animals - Reptiles - Turtles

Hilaire’s toadhead turtle (Phrynops hilarii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Testudines
Family : Chelidae
Genus : Phrynops
Species : P. Hilarii

Description:

The Hilaire’s toadhead turtle or Hilaire’s side-necked turtle (Phrynops hilarii), is a species of turtle endemic to South America.

The specific name, hilarii, is in honor of French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.

P. hilarii is found in southern Brazil (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul) southward and westward into Uruguay and Argentina; possibly also in Paraguay and Bolivia.

Binomial Name:

Name : Phrynops hilarii
Taxonomist : André Marie Constant Duméril (Amiens - France) and Gabriel Bibron (Paris - France)
Year : 1835
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : Many

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Near-threatened species

A Near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status. The IUCN notes the importance of re-evaluating near-threatened taxa at appropriate intervals.

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 3 of 4, from Amphibians and Reptiles Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: February 15th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 22 mm. x 35 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – REPTILES – TURTLES – BLACK SPINE-NECK SWAMP TURTLE (ACANTHOCHELYS SPIXII)

Animals - Reptiles - Turtles

Black spine-neck swamp turtle (Acanthochelys spixii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Testudines
Family : Chelidae
Genus : Acanthochelys
Species : A. Spixii

Description:

The Black spine-neck swamp turtle, Spiny-neck turtle or Spix's sideneck turtle (Acanthochelys spixii) is a species of turtle in the Chelidae family. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, and possibly Paraguay.

Binomial Name:

Name : Acanthochelys spixii
Taxonomist : André Marie Constant Duméril (Amiens - France) and Gabriel Bibron (Paris - France)
Year : 1835
Subspecies : None or not data available
Synonyms : Emys depressa Spix, Emys aspera Gray, Platemys spixii

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Near-threatened species

A Near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be considered threatened with extinction in the near future, although it does not currently qualify for the threatened status. The IUCN notes the importance of re-evaluating near-threatened taxa at appropriate intervals.

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 4, from Amphibians and Reptiles Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: February 15th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 22 mm. x 35 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – AMPHIBIANS – FROGS – MONKEY FROG (PHYLLOMEDUSA IHERINGII)

Animals - Amphibians - Frogs

Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa iheringii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Class : Amphibia
Order : Anura
Family : Hylidae
Genus : Phyllomedusa
Species : P. Iheringii

Description:

The Monkey Frog (Phyllomedusa iheringii) is a species of frog in the Hylidae family, found in Brazil and Uruguay. Its natural habitats are temperate shrubland and intermittent freshwater marshes, and is threatened by habitat loss.

Binomial Name:

Name : Phyllomedusa iheringii
Taxonomist : George Albert Boulenger (Brussels - Belgium)
Year : 1885
Subspecies : None or not data available
Synonyms : None or not data available

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Least Concern

Has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as evaluated but not qualified for any other category. As such they do not qualify as threatened, near threatened, or (prior to 2001) conservation dependent.

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 4, from Amphibians and Reptiles Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: February 15th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 4 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 22 mm. x 35 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

PERSONALITIES - WRITERS - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Personalities - Writers

William Shakespeare

Characteristics :

Birth Date : Unknown (Baptised: April 26th 1564)
Birth Place : Stratford-upon-Avon – England

Decease Date : April 23rd, 1616
Decease Place : Stratford-upon-Avon – England

Occupation : Playwright, Poet, Actor
Period : English Renaissance, Elizabethan Era

Spouse : Anne Hathaway (married from 1582 to 1616)
Children : Susanna Hall, Hamnet Shakespeare, Judith Quiney

Description :

William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet, and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of approximately 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

Biography :

Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, at age 49, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, which has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, and religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.

Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories, and these are regarded as some of the best work ever produced in these genres. He then wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608, including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, considered some of the finest works in the English language. In his last phase, he wrote tragicomedies, also known as romances, and collaborated with other playwrights.

Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. In 1623, however, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two friends and fellow actors of Shakespeare, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognized as Shakespeare's. It was prefaced with a poem by Ben Jonson, in which Shakespeare is hailed, presciently, as "not of an age, but for all time".

In the 20th and 21st centuries, his works have been repeatedly adapted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular, and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world.

Philatelic Issues

2016 – Uruguay – Unique Miniature Sheet, from William Shakespeare Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 28th, 2016
Printed: 10.000 Copies
Type: Stamps Series
Value: UYP 60

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 101 mm. x 62 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS - MERCOSUR

International Organizations

Mercosur

Characteristics :

Type : Intergovermental

Establishment : Treaty of Asunción (March 26th 1991) and
Protocol of Ouro Preto (December 16th 1994)
Headquarters : Montevideo, San Pablo, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas
Official Languages : Spanish, Portuguese, Guarani

Full Members : 5 (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela)
Associated Members : 5 (Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú)
Observer Members : 2 (México, New Zealand)

Area : 19.326.961 km2 (Full members only)
Population : 288.996.820 (2012)
Density : 15 / km2

Description :

Mercosur or Mercosul (Spanish: Mercado Común del Sur, Portuguese: Mercado Comum do Sul, Guarani: Ñemby Ñemuha, in English: “Southern Common Market”) is a sub-regional bloc.

Its full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Its associate countries are Bolivia, Chile, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Suriname. And, Observer countries are New Zealand and Mexico.

Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency. The official languages are Spanish, Portuguese and Guarani. It has been updated, amended, and changed many times since. It is now a full customs union and a trading bloc. Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations are customs unions that are components of a continuing process of South American integration connected to the Union of South American Nations.

Geography :

The territory of Mercosur consists of the combined territories of five of the 12 countries of South America and their population. Including the overseas territories of member states, Mercosur experiences most types of climate from Antarctic to tropical, rendering meteorological averages for Mercosur as a whole meaningless. The majority of the population lives in areas with a subtropical climate (Uruguay, Southern Paraguay, Northeastern Argentina and Southern and Southeastern Brazil), or a tropical climate (Venezuela and Northeastern Brazil).

Merchandise Trade :

Intra-Mercosur merchandise trade (excluding Venezuela) grew from US$10 billion at the inception of the trade bloc in 1991, to US$88 billion in 2010; Brazil and Argentina each accounted for 43% of this total. The trade balance within the bloc has historically been tilted toward Brazil, which recorded an intra-Mercosur balance of over US$5 billion in 2010. Trade within Mercosur amounted to only 16% of the four countries' total merchandise trade in 2010, however; trade with the European Union (20%), China (14%), and the United States (11%) was of comparable importance. Exports from the bloc are highly diversified, and include a variety of agricultural, industrial, and energy goods. Merchandise trade with the rest of the world in 2010 resulted in a surplus for Mercosur of nearly US$7 billion; trade in services, however, was in deficit by over US$28 billion. The EU and China maintained a nearly balanced merchandise trade with Mercosur in 2010, while the United States reaped a surplus of over US$14 billion; Mercosur, in turn, earned significant surpluses (over US$4 billion each in 2010) in its trade with Chile and Venezuela. The latter became a full member in 2012.

Philatelic Issues

2016 – Uruguay – Unique Stamp, from Mercosur Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 25th, 2016
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Unique Stamp from Series
Value: UYP 60

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

HEALTH - DISEASES - VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Health - Diseases

Visual Impairment

Characteristics:

Speciality : Ophthalmology

ICD - 10 : H54.0 , H54.1 , H54.4
ICD - 9 - CM : 369
Diseases DB : 28256
MedilinePlus : 003040
MeSH : D001766

Description :

Visual impairment, also known as vision impairment or vision loss, is a decreased ability to see to a degree that causes problems not fixable by usual means, such as glasses. Some also include those who have a decreased ability to see because they do not have access to glasses or contact lenses. Visual impairment is often defined as a best corrected visual acuity of worse than either 20/40 or 20/60. The term blindness is used for complete or nearly complete vision loss. Visual impairment may cause people difficulties with normal daily activities such as driving, reading, socializing, and walking.

The most common causes of visual impairment globally are uncorrected refractive errors (43%), cataracts (33%), and glaucoma (2%).] Refractive errors include near sighted, far sighted, presbyopia, and astigmatism. Cataracts are the most common cause of blindness. Other disorders that may cause visual problems include age related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, corneal clouding, childhood blindness, and a number of infections. Visual impairment can also be caused by problems in the brain due to stroke, prematurity, or trauma among others. These cases are known as cortical visual impairment. Screening for vision problems in children may improve future vision and educational achievement. Screening adults may also be beneficial. Diagnosis is by an eye exam.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of visual impairment is either preventable or curable with treatment. This includes cataracts, the infections river blindness and trachoma, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uncorrected refractive errors, and some cases of childhood blindness. Many people with significant visual impairment benefit from vision rehabilitation, changes in their environmental, and assistive devices.

As of 2012 there were 285 million people who were visually impaired of which 246 million had low vision and 39 million were blind. The majorities of people with poor vision is in the developing world and are over the age of 50 years. Rates of visual impairment have decreased since the 1990s. Visual impairments have considerable economic costs both directly due to the cost of treatment and indirectly due to decreased ability to work.

Diagnosis :

It is critical that all people be examined by someone specializing in low vision care prior to other rehabilitation training to rule out potential medical or surgical correction for the problem and to establish a careful baseline refraction and prescription of both normal and low vision glasses and optical aids. Only a doctor is qualified to evaluate visual functioning of a compromised visual system effectively.

The American Medical Association provide an approach to evaluating visual loss as it affects an individual's ability to perform activities of daily living.

Philatelic Issues

2016 – Uruguay – Unique Miniature Sheet, from Blind Congress Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: April 20th, 2016
Printed: 10.000 Copies
Type: Unique Miniature Sheet from Series
Value: UYP 20

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 120 mm. x 70 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS – REPTILES – SNAKES – CROSSED PIT VIPER (BOTHROPS ALTERNATUS)

Animals - Reptiles - Snakes

Crossed Pit Viper (Bothrops alternatus)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Subphylum : Vertebrata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Squamata
Suborder : Serpentes
Family : Viperidae
Subfamily : Crotalinae
Genus : Bothrops
Species : B. Alternatus

Description:

The Crossed Pit Viper (Bothrops alternatus) is a venomous pit viper species found in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Within its range, it is an important cause of snakebite. The specific name, alternatus, which is Latin for "alternating", is apparently a reference to the staggered markings along the body. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Large and stout, this terrestrial species reportedly exceeds 2 m (6.6 ft) in total length, although the verified maximum is 169 cm (67 in). Most specimens are 80–120 cm (31–47 in) in total length, with females being significantly longer and heavier than males.

Occurs in tropical and semitropical forests, as well as temperate deciduous forests. According to Gallardo (1977), it prefers marshes, low-lying swamps, riparian zones and other humid habitats. It is also said to be common in sugarcane plantations. It is found in a variety of habitats depending on the latitude, including open fields and rocky areas in the Sierra de Achiras in Córdoba and the Sierra de la Ventana in Buenos Aires in Argentina, fluvial areas, grasslands and cerrado. However, it is usually absent in dry environments.

An important cause of snakebite within its range, bites are rarely fatal but frequently cause severe local tissue damage. Although Spix and Martius (1824) found that it had a reputation for being one of the most venomous snakes in Brazil, its bite "said to occasion almost certain death", the statistics tell a different story. In his survey of 6,601 snakebite cases in Central and South America, Fonseca (1949) found that 384 were attributed to this species and that, of that number, only eight were fatal (2%).

Binomial Name:

Name : Bothrops alternatus
Taxonomist : André Marie Constant Duméril (Amiens - France), Gabriel Bibron (Paris - France), Auguste Henri André Duméril (Paris - France)
Year : 1854
Subspecies : None, or not data available
Synonyms : Many

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Not Evaluated, or not data available

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 2 of 2, from Snakes Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: May 28th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated

ANIMALS - REPTILES - SNAKES - SOUTH AMERICAN GREEN RACER (PHILODRYAS AESTIVA)

Animals - Reptiles - Snakes

South American Green Racer (Philodryas olfersii)

Scientific Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia
Phylum : Chordata
Subphylum : Vertebrata
Class : Reptilia
Order : Squamata
Suborder : Serpentes
Family : Colubridae
Subfamily : Xenodontinae
Genus : Philodryas
Species : P. Olfersii

Description:

South American Green Racer (Philodryas olfersii) is a species of colubrid snake, endemic to South America, known also by the common names Lichtenstein's green racer, and eastern green whiptail, and in Brazil, cobra-cipó, cobra de São João, cobra-facão, cobra-verde, and mboi-obi.

The specific name, olfersii, is in honor of German naturalist Ignaz von Olfers.

It is native to much of South America, including Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Colombia, French Guiana, and Venezuela.

P. olfersii reaches 1 to 1.5 meters (about 40 to 60 inches) in maximum total length.

Dorsally, it is green in color; ventrally, it is yellowish.

The dorsal scales are smooth, without apical pits, and are arranged in 19 rows at midbody.

It can be found in many habitat types, including the Cerrado, Caatinga, forests, forest transition, and restinga.

This species is often arboreal, but it also forages on the ground. It is diurnal, though it has been observed mating late in the evening.

Prey items include rodents, lizards, amphibians, and birds, especially nestlings. They will also eat other snakes, including ones almost as large as themselves.

The egg of the snake measures about 5 centimeters (about 2 inches). The clutch size is 4 to 11 eggs, with larger females producing more eggs than smaller ones.

Binomial Name:

Name : Philodryas olfersii
Taxonomist : Martin Hinrich Carl Lichtenstein (Hamburg - Germany)
Year : 1823
Subspecies : 3 (Herbeus, Iatirostris, Olfersii)
Synonyms : Coluber olfersii, Herpetodryas olfersii, Dryophylax olfersii, Philodryas olfersii

Conservation Status by IUCN:

Status : Not Evaluated, or not data available

Philatelic Issues

2001 - Uruguay - Stamp 1 of 2, from Snakes Series

Issue information:

Country: Uruguay
Date: May 28th, 2001
Printed: 15.000 Copies
Type: Stamp from Series of 2 Stamps
Value: UYP 11

Stamp: Rectangular
Size: 39 mm. x 27 mm.
Perforation: Circular
Gum: Water Activated