Monarch butterfly ...

Monarch butterfly is perhaps the best known of all North American butterflies. The common name “Monarch” was first published in 1874 by Samuel H. Scudder because “it is one of the largest of our butterflies, and rules a vast domain”.

Thank you very much Renate Thompson for this nice FDC, with first day cancellation from New York on May 17 ;-)

To complete the postage, Renate had also affixed another stamp that was issued in 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Martin Johnson Heade's death. Martin Johnson Heade (August 11, 1819-September 4, 1904) was a prolific American painter known for his salt marsh landscapes, seascapes, portraits of tropical birds, and still lifes.