Shear-Stevens: Mycological Work of M. A. Curtis 187 



overlook many things, or perhaps even mistake a diseased 

 excrescence for a Lichen. 



Only eight days later he writes Tuckerman again. 



Hillsborough, N. C, Nov. 15th /45 



Dear Sir: 



You will hardly expect from my last letter that I should 

 commence work in your service so promptly as this. Never- 

 theless, I have nearly every day since been making some 

 accumulations. What with my wood-pile, & the trees and old 

 rails & posts on my premises, I have already got a small box 

 full of specimens of something. Today I have taken a walk 

 to some small wooded heights in the vicinity, here honored 

 with the name of mountains, where I observed much more 

 than I could bring home, upon the Trees, Rocks, & Earth. 



I am met at the outset with what may be a serious annoy- 

 ance to you. As I do not know a single species with cer- 

 tainty, & my ignorance is a hindrance to memory, I cannot 

 tell at any time what I may have gathered before. And thus 

 I may possibly send you scores of specimens, & not a score 

 of species. I am also afraid to make a comparison of speci- 

 mens from different localities & different species of trees for 

 the purpose of throwing out a redundance of duplicates, for 

 fear that I might overlook some slight differences which in 

 your eye would be of essential interest, I find I need some 

 training in order to serve you efficiently. To this end, it 

 occurs to me that after all I had better have a set from you 

 as a guide. By some study of it, I could in a little while get 

 some general knowledge of Genera, & learn some of the dis- 

 tinctions of species. This would give important practice to 

 the eye. From your letter to me, I judge that you have sets 

 to spare. If therefore you will let me have one, as complete 

 as you can. spare, even as a loan, it w^ill facilitate my progress 

 very much, & probably save you the trouble of examining 

 much trash. 



I observe on the rocks — of which there is no lack here any 

 more than in the country about Boston — many peculiar & 

 pretty forms of crustaceous Lichens which I can devise no 

 means of obtaining. What is the process? Let me know 

 about this ; & if they can be got off you shall have some. 



I wish to see your specimens also, in order to know what 

 sort of things to make. I have thus far chipped from trees 

 small bits & strips of bark which do not include the whole 

 thallus, though I intend they shall always show its margin. 



