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We wish to say to the boys and girls who are sending requests for exchange to the Post-office Box that they must never expect to see their offer printed in Young People the week after it is sent. This is impossible. We know it takes more patience than boys usually possess to wait three or four weeks, or even longer, as many of you do, before your offer appears, but there are so many of you that the delay is unavoidable. We have received a large number of letters recently from boys and girls wishing to exchange only to a certain date, when they would leave home for the country. Those letters we have been unable to print, as they could not possibly appear in time to suit the convenience of the exchangers.

We hope our correspondents will notice this explanation, and endeavor to wait with more patience for the appearance of their letters of exchange.

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Courtland, New York.

I thought I would write to ask the readers of Harper's Young People if they remember the story of "Coachy," in No. 50 of Vol. I. Well, I am little Bessie Rathbun, but that is not all my name. I am eleven years old. I want all the little readers to know that "Coachy" was a real true story. I am at the farm now. Our farm is called Locust Hill, and is just a little bit over a mile from the village. I have lots of "Coachy" hens now, but none that I love quite as well as my pet that Mr. Beck killed.

I have a little kitten that has spots all over it like freckles, so I call it Toby Tyler. I have lots of other pets that I will write about some other time.

Bessie Rathbun H.

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Lake Eutis, Florida.

I live on the banks of a beautiful lake in Florida. I go in bathing, and I have a boat of my own, and go out boating and fishing, and catch lots of fish. Sometimes we catch a turtle. There are lots of land turtles here, but the people call them gophers, and the real gophers they call salamanders. They look like a rat. They dig holes in the ground with their fore-feet, and they bite off the roots of the orange-trees. That kills the trees. There are lots of oranges and pine-apples growing here. We never have any snow, and we hardly ever see ice. The land is very sandy. It is almost all covered with woods, and there is a lot of moss.

I went out alligator-hunting with a man. He shot eight times at one alligator without hitting him. I am nine years old.

Charlie K.S.

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Westport, California.

My papa has a saw-mill on the Pacific coast, and you ought to see the large redwood trees they cut down here to saw up into lumber. Papa's lumber landing is about half a mile from our house. It is on a large rock out in the Pacific Ocean, about two hundred and seventy-five feet from the mainland. The lumber is carried to the rock on a suspension-bridge, and vessels come and take it to San Francisco and other ports.

We have a great many different kinds of lovely ferns here. I am eight years old.

Etta M.

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Schoolcraft, Michigan.

That little boy who was anxious for a new crop of rattlesnakes ought to come out here. Last summer we killed six, three of which were in our orchard. I came very near stepping on one, and another struck my shoe.

At school one day one of the girls heard a buzzing in the ventilator, and put her hand down to find what it was, and there lay a big rattlesnake. It crawled away, but at noon the teacher put a piece of bread and butter in the ventilator, and it came up after it, and the boys killed it.

Mary S.

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Greenwood, Colorado.

I take Young People, and I like it very much. I have a kind of a pet. It is only a cow, but I can ride on her. I live on a farm, but I wish I could live in the city. There is no fun in the country but running foot-races, and I have never seen a circus since I can remember.

Robert C.W.

If our little friend could have his wish fulfilled, and exchange his beautiful country home for a city residence, we are sure that the experience of a few weeks would entirely cure him of his delusion. Thousands of young men and boys flock from the country into our great cities every year, in the hope of making money, and having a good time at the theatres, circuses, and other places of amusement. And what do they find? They may make higher wages, but their living costs them more; and instead of a healthful country home, they are compelled to live in some close, stuffy boarding-house, to work from early morning until late at night, perhaps, in shop or store, until the fresh country color is bleached out of their cheeks, and their faces wear a tired, jaded look. The very amusements of the city, unless a boy is discreet and steady, are a source of great danger. It is far better to play ball, or run foot-races in the country, than to spend the evening in a billiard saloon, where boys are too apt to learn to drink and gamble, and to use low and profane language; and our young friend need not consider his life wasted if he should never see a circus. There are hundreds of boys in New York who would gladly give up the excitements and amusements of city life if they could exchange the counter and the boarding-house for the greater freedom and healthier life of the country. There is a society in this city which every year sends large numbers of boys and girls to country homes, and we believe that none of them wants to come back. Let Master Robert take this lesson to heart, and learn to be happy in the healthful work and sports to be found in his native fields.

There is no reason why country life should be dull. In every village a club of young people can be found to play base-ball, cricket, croquet, lawn tennis, or practice archery—a most healthful and delightful kind of sport. In almost every German village there is a bowling-alley, simply constructed, where young people of both sexes meet on evenings or on holidays, and enjoy themselves a great deal more than city young folks do in billiard saloons and bowling-alleys hot with gas-lights, and reeking with the fumes of intoxicating drinks. If Master Robert will join with the boys and girls of his acquaintance in getting up a club or society for such amusements as these, he will soon find that country life is very far from being dull.

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I do not wish to exchange any more woods. I will now exchange rare foreign stamps, for any foreign coins except those of China and Japan.

Fred L. Parcher,
Maryville, Nodaway Co., Mo.

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Correspondents will please take notice that my stock of shells is exhausted. I will exchange stamps, minerals, or postmarks, for stamps, minerals, sea-shells, Indian relics, or other curiosities. Correspondents will please label specimens.

A. Eddie Conover, Jun.,
50 West One-hundred-and-twenty-sixth St.,
New York City.

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I will print the name of any reader of Young People on twenty-five pretty cards, for any nice specimens, Indian or Mound Builders' relics, ocean curiosities, coins, etc. My stock of rare stamps is almost exhausted, but I can still exchange common stamps.

I have received many nice things in answer to my other letter, and although my collection is not so large as that of some of the boys and girls who write to Young People, still it is a source of great amusement and pleasure to me. My brother is in Europe this summer, and when he returns he will bring me many nice things for my collection.

Samuel Carpenter, Jun., Oswego, Kan.

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I have no more oil-sand to exchange, but will send to those who wrote to me. I will now exchange specimens of white spar and quartz, and a rock and soil from West Virginia, for four foreign or old United States coins. I particularly desire some copper cents and half-cents coined previous to 1830.

Willie B. Prickitt, Volcano, Wood Co., W. Va.

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My stock of sharks' teeth is exhausted. I will now exchange earth or stone from New Jersey, iron ore, stones from Nevada and Leadville, sandstone, and some other minerals, for stamps from Lubeck, South Australia, or Baden.

Louis W. Mullikin,
Room 37, Hackettstown Institute,
Hackettstown, N.J.

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I wish to inform correspondents that my stock of South American stamps is exhausted. I will now exchange postmarks, and pieces of an idol found in an Inca Indian grave, for insects. Butterflies, moths, and a burying-beetle especially desired.

Richard B. Kipp, 13 Grant St., Newark, N.J.

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Parsons, Kansas.

I wish to notify correspondents that my stock of curiosities for exchange is exhausted. If any have sent me specimens, and have received no answer, I wish they would inform me.

Jennie Harrington.

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I have no more minerals to exchange for silk scraps. I have a collection of from sixty to eighty different kinds of rare bugs, which I will exchange for something of equal interest. Correspondents will please write what they will give.

Flavel S. Minks, Kirkwood, St. Louis Co., Mo.

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Since my request was printed in Young People I have added nearly two hundred new varieties to my collection. I will now offer the following exchanges: Twenty-two postage stamps and ten postmarks, for one genuine and perfect Indian arrow-head; thirty postmarks and two postage stamps, for a nice specimen of any kind of ore; three foreign stamps, for one foreign copper coin; two foreign stamps and ten postmarks, for one stamp from South or Central America, Mexico, China, or any African country.

C.L. Hollingshead, 72 Grant Place, Chicago, Ill.

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I have only five arrow-heads left, and I will give them for the seven stamps which form the set of Alsace and Lorraine; or for the same set I will give two Italian and three French stamps, and one from each of the following countries: Canada, Spain, Finland, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Queensland, and the Netherlands.

Carter Colquitt,
Wilcox Place, Sand Hills (near Augusta), Ga.

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E.C.P., Winona, Minn., desires to inform correspondents that he has arranged an exchange for his stamp collection with a boy in St. Louis, and accordingly withdraws his name from our exchange list.

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Exchangers will please take notice that the address of Carl Wagner is changed from Atlanta, Ga., to 1136 Twelfth St. N.W., Washington, D.C.

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Wroton M. Kenny, Pineville, Mo., and G.E. Standish, Columbus, Ohio, withdraw their names from our exchange list.

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The following exchanges are offered by correspondents:

Horned frogs, tarantulas, centipeds, or snakes, dried, for any kind of curiosities. Pressed flowers or leaves, for the same.

Herbert J. Angus,
Corsicano, Navarro Co., Texas.

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Two very rare English revenue stamps, used in 1765, for stamps from the Agricultural, Justice, State, Executive, or Interior Department of the United States.

Carrie B. Alton,
P.O. Box 139, Haddonfield, N.J.

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Curious stones, for ocean shells or curiosities.

Gracie C. Aldrich,
West Milton, Miami Co., Ohio.

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Forty-eight foreign stamps, for two nickel eagle cents of 1856.

Robert Andrews,
298 Spring St., New York City.

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A large variety of rare postage stamps, for rare seeds and bulbs.

Fred A.C. Archer,
Rutherford, N.J.

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Fifty foreign stamps, and some Louisiana moss, for some object of equal interest.

Mary Anderson,
771 Magazine St., New Orleans, La.

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Stamps from Denmark, Austria, and other foreign countries, for South and Central American, African, Asiatic, and other rare stamps.

Fred W. Adams, Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio.

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Curiosities. Correspondents will please send only within one week from date of this number of Young People.

Otto Barnett,
Glencoe, Cook Co., Ill.

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A very superior compound microscope (Orange Judd's teacher's microscope), with camera attached, for one hundred good specimens of Florida or California ferns, or sea-weeds from the Pacific coast. Sea-weeds must be well mounted.

P.O. Box 241, Shelbyville, Ky.

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Foreign postage stamps, for ores, Indian relics, coins, minerals, shells, and curiosities.

George M. Brennan,
148 East Thirtieth St., New York City.

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A pair of roller skates, for Paraguay, Cashmere, or United States department stamps, or for old United States or English coins.

H. Buffum,
4 Lloyd St., Providence, R.I.

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An English florin, for some rare shells of different colors, or pretty curiosities.

Millie Burnet,
16 Chestnut St., Newark, N.J.

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Postage stamps, for sea-shells.

Edward G. Bogert,
Flushing, Queens Co., N.Y.

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Twenty-five different foreign stamps, and several internal revenue stamps, for stamps from Turkey, China, Japan, Arabia, Sandwich or Ionian Islands, Natal, or South America.

Helen A. Brownell,
Elmhurst, Du Page Co., Ill.

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Rare United States and foreign stamps from Natal, Straits Settlements, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Buenos Ayres, Ecuador, United States of Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Sandwich Islands, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, for other rare foreign stamps, or for very rare United States postage or department stamps.

F.W. Brown, care of T. Clark,
519 East One-hundred-and-nineteenth St.,
New York City.

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A stamp from Greece, for one from Paraguay.

Charles Beardsley, Jun.,
214 Fourth St S.E., Washington, D.C.

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A large assortment of good minerals, petrifactions, ocean curiosities, and relics, for a printing-press in good order, with ink, type, and general outfit. Correspondents will please write for list of specimens before sending press.

Harry R. Bartlett and Brother,
P.O. Box 8, Greensburg, Green Co., Ky.

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Five-cent Cuban stamps, issue of 1881, and other foreign postage stamps, for foreign stamps.

B.R.T. Collins, P.O. Box 62, Fryeburg, Me.

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Pressed flowers, leaves, ferns, and mosses of Vermont, for sea-shells or sea-weed.

M.E. Cutts, Barre, Washington Co., Vt.

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Ten foreign, United States, or department stamps, for any mineral or other curiosity.

William E. Chase, Franklin, Essex Co., N.J.

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Foreign postage stamps, for a foreign coin, an Indian relic, or shells.

Clara Campman,
146 East Seventy-first St., New York City.

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Stones and Spanish iron ore, for ores, minerals, relics, and curiosities.

William T. Crane,
124 Washington St., Hoboken, N.J.

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Gypsum, red chalk, or Texas soil, for Indian relics, Florida shells, specimens from the Mammoth Cave, or small ocean curiosities.

Raymond L. Carothers,
Giddings, Lee Co., Texas.

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White coral, for foreign stamps and foreign postal cards. No French or German desired.

Vernon Chesleigh,
14 Carmine St., New York City.

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Foreign stamps, for Indian relics, ocean curiosities, and all kinds of minerals, or anything interesting for a collection. All varieties of ore desired, especially gold ore.

Claude V. Martineau,
Care of Vernon Chesleigh,
14 Carmine St., New York City.

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Arrow-heads, for any kinds of ore. English stamps, for sea-shells or coral. Curiosities, for anything interesting for a museum.

Charles H. Carr, 41 Elm St., Covington, Ky.

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One hundred postmarks (no duplicates), for any one of the following United States stamps: 90-cent, issue of 1851-'60, 1861, 1869; 24-cent, 1851-'60, 1869; 30-cent, 1869; 5-cent and 10-cent, 1847.

Hallett Chapman,
P.O. Box 543, Flushing, Queens Co., N.Y.

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An English stamp, for a leaf from any of the trees mentioned in the article entitled "Historical Trees of the United States," in Harper's Young People No. 83. Exchangers please write before sending exchange.

Willard B. Dunnegan,
Bolivar, Polk Co., Mo.

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Old issues of United States postage stamps, and stamps from Cuba, Japan, and Europe, for stamps from Asia and Africa.

George D. Dibbell,
P.O. Box 166, Bound Brook, Somerset Co., N.J.

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Twenty postmarks, for an African and a Peruvian stamp.

Walter Develin,
2039 Lambert St., Philadelphia, Penn.

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Indian arrow-heads, for rare postage stamps (no duplicates). Stamps from Mexico, South America, and Africa especially desired.

Harry Furniss,
Alcorn University, Rodney, Miss.

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A stone from Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts, or a stone from Lake Champlain, for the same from any other place.

Jennie J. Edwards,
Plattsburg, Clinton Co., N.Y.

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Five stamps, for one from Iceland, Egypt, or Turkey. Ten stamps, for one from Shanghai. Foreign stamps, for others.

J. Nelson Elliot,
11 Abingdon Square, New York City.

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Chinese coins, red-cedar wood, or copper ore from Lake Michigan, for Indian arrow-heads, and soil from any State except New York.

Herman F. Ficke,
26 Bergen St., Brooklyn, N.Y.

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Curiosities from Bermuda, grain from the banks of the Nile, and rare stamps from Egypt, Peru, Chili, Brazil, United States of Colombia, Mexico, Belgium, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Japan, and other countries, for good curiosities. Please send a description of the articles you have to exchange before sending package.

B.P. Craig,
297 Fourth St., Jersey City, N.J.

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"Columbia County diamonds," for other minerals, or for ocean curiosities.

Edwin H. Ent,
Bloomsburg, Columbia Co., Penn.

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Rare stamps, for autographs of noted people. Correspondents wishing to exchange will please state what autograph they will give, and what stamps they are most desirous of having in return.

Mary French,
336 Harvard St., Cambridge, Mass.

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Sets of stamps from Greece, Brazil, Bermuda, Netherlands, Spain, Saxony, Heligoland, and other countries, for minerals and foreign coins.

H.B. Adriance,
P.O. Box 37, Williamstown, Mass.

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Flint, and foreign and United States stamps, for coral, shells, Indian relics, minerals, or anything suitable for a museum.

Guy A. Bryant,
Princeton, Bureau Co., Ill.

[For other exchanges, see third page of cover.]

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Little Mamie.—Flying-squirrels are found in many localities in the United States. They are beautiful little creatures, about as large as a small chipmunk, with soft tawny fur above, and white below. They can not fly like birds, for their "wings" are only a kind of fur-covered skin stretching from the hind to the fore feet, which enables them to sail in the air in a downward direction. When they pass from tree to tree they spring, at the same time spreading their feet, and the extended skin acts as a sail, enabling them to go a great distance. They can climb up tree trunks, and scamper about among the foliage as gracefully and easily as other kinds of squirrels, but they have no power to fly upward, except when propelled by the force of an upward spring, or when going down they turn suddenly in the air, and the force with which they are going enables them to maintain an upward angle for a short distance. The flying-squirrel builds its nest in decayed holes in old trees. It is very easily tamed, and makes the prettiest pet imaginable. It lives happy in a cage, with an occasional hour of liberty, in which it will fly and scamper all over the room, and hide in its master's pocket for a nap when tired out; and it will eat all kinds of nuts, bits of bread and cake, apples, and corn or any seeds. Never try to keep one flying-squirrel alone, for it is the most sociable little creature in the world, and needs a companion to play with in its cage. If it is happy, and feels at home, it will build itself a cunning little nest of woollen ravellings, or any other soft material. We remember a very funny surprise and disappointment which once befell a pair of pet flying-squirrels. A lady visitor was sitting near their cage, when she felt a little tug at her shawl. She looked around, and there were two little squirrels, their cheeks puffed out with the woollen fringe which they had pulled through the wires of their cage, and which they were vainly striving to carry away to their nest. The little boy who owned them thought a pair of scissors would make everything right; but the lady had no desire to ruin her shawl just to please two squirrels, and she pulled the fringe away from them. You never saw such amazed little creatures. They peered through the wires of their cage in blank astonishment. Their tender-hearted little owner soon brought a handful of woollen scraps filched from his mother's piece-bag, and the squirrels contentedly scampered off with them to their nest.

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Susan S.—Enigmas for publication in our puzzle department must not only have an acceptable solution, but must be in rhyme.

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Miss H., and Others.—We can not give addresses in the Post-office Box except of those correspondents who desire to exchange.

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Simon C., and many Others.—Your puzzles are very neat, and we thank you for your attention; but puzzles requiring diagrams are not, as a rule, available for the Post-office Box, as they occupy too much space.

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William S.—Both of your stamps belong to the issue of 1869.

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E.H.L.—The amusing game you kindly send us was given in Young People, Vol. I., page 296, under the title of "Misfits."

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Harold W.H., and Others.—The introductory paragraph to the Post-office Box of Young People for March 1, 1881, explains why your requests for exchange are not printed.

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Frank H.—The address of your exchange correspondent was given in the Post-office Box of No. 83.

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Libbie Meyers.—Your kind intention shall be faithfully carried into execution.

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Correct answers to puzzles have been received from J.D. Brown, Jemima Beeston, F.T. Calder, Maggie Dutro, Lily F., William B. Hadley, "Lord Glenalvan"; Florence Millard, Bobbie Noble, "North Star," Augusta Low Parke, "Pepper," "Queen Bess," Daniel A. Slatery, Charlie Trimble. "Unknown," Annie Volckhausen, R.H. Washburne, "X.L.C.R."

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