
          be laid at my door in very many instances. I will see
 that you get the little instruments you spoke about.
 The picker is done & the chissel [crossed out: will] can soon be finished.


 I have made a desperate attack upon the Fungi lately
 & hope to make a good account of them before next winter
 I find a great difficulty in managing the microscope, but still
 practice will I think overcome the obstacles. I have in the
 space of these few hours I have devoted to it, detected some
 dozen of Links & Nees genera of the byssoidea of which I had
 before no idea --  Schweinitz assured me that in his opinion
 the Fungi are by far the easiest & most certain of detection
 in the whole range of Botany, & I wanted to get some instruction
 in that way from him but was too late. I shall particularly
 examine all his speciments. He very kindly offered me the
 use of his Books during his absence, & wrote to his family to
 send them to me particularly Nees' system wh. [which] will be
 invaluable. I think this ground is untrodden, & that
 the little I can do will avail something & I know you
 agree with me in believing it better to do a little well
 than much imperfectly. As to the Lichens. I think I am
 tolerabley au fait, as I certainly have the best collection
 next to Schw.z [Schweinitz] of American specimens & I can readily
 detect a non enumerated species. For the present, especially
 with my opportunities, it is scarcely worth while to go further.
 But in mycology what a world is there yet to be revealed
 by the magic power of the microscope. I am delighted even
 with the short excursion I have made in it.


 I send you a slip of proof sheet of your synopsis. There
 is some error in the mss [manuscript] & neither Cooper nor myself can exactly
 correct it. There are 2 spec. [species] of same name, & one of the

        