1196 The American Naturalist. [December, 
BOTANY. 
An Old Botanical Letter.—In a copy of Persoon's ** Synopsis 
Methodica Fungorum,” recently purchased of a London bookseller 
for the botanical library of the University of Nebraska, the autograph 
letter given below was found. It was probably addressed to Sowerby, 
the author of the “ English Fungi ” alluded to in the first paragraph. 
The letter is given verbatim et literatim : 
DEAR FRIEND, 
At last I have the pleasure to send You my Synopsis fungorum, You 
desired to have long ago. I wish You may not be disappointed in 
Your expectation of it. You’ll find many of the species You have 
published in Your English fungi. I have had the confidence in the 
justness of Your representations that I have made the descriptions 
according to them ; if I have been mistaken in this proceeding, I beg 
You to instruct me of it by a letter. 
You have received sometime since severalletters and parcels from 
me, without my having the pleasure to receive an answer from You. 
I believe therefore to be intitled to give You a gentle reproof for it. 
However You may make amends for it by writing me soon, particularly 
if You joined to the letter a good quantity of plants principally 
cryptogame ones, I remain with esteem and friendship 
; Sir 
Gottingue, May 2, You mosobedient servant 
1801. C. H. PERSOON. 
. The last sentence is marvelously like those written by botanists to- 
day. How many ofus are wont to forgive our tardy correspondents on 
the same terms, even to specifying ‘ principally cryptogame ones."— 
CHARLES E. Brssry, 
The Host-Index of the Fungi of the United States.—Part 
IL. of this exceedingly useful publication has just appeared, extending 
the index through the Gamopetalz and Apetale. The authors—Pro- 
fessor W. G. Farlow and Mr. A. B. Seymour—state that the remainder 
of the work will appear in November of the present year. They re- 
quest that ** botanists having errors or omissions to report in the parts 
already issued would kindly inform them regarding such errors and 
omissions at an early date, in order that the corrections and additions 
may be inserted in the forthcoming third part.” 
For the benefit of those who have not seen this work we may say 
that it is a systematic list of the Phanerogams which are affected by 
