From J. T. Rothrock to Asa Gray   22 August 1867

New York

Aug 22nd 1867

Dear Doctor

The names which Mr Darwin is in doubt about are the Atnah and Espyox Tribes on the Nasse River.1 Thurber2 wants an autograph of D. So do I. but as you request I have returned the coveted signature. Should there be any more items I can communicate it will give me pleasure to do so. I am overhauling Thurbers duplicate grasses ect. and enriching my own collection therefrom

In packing those snow-shoes I was obliged to cut the tip of the heel off. There being no box in town long enough. Dr W.3 can however make a nite of it replacing the part.

Yours Ever | J. T. Rothrock

Please give my kindest regards and heartiest sympathy to Mrs G4 in her sickness.

Ill be with Thurber until the 3rd or 4 of sept.5

CD annotations

1.1 The names … River. 1.2] scored pencil
1.2 Thurber … part. 2.3] crossed pencil
1.3 I have … do so. 1.4] scored pencil
Top of letter: ‘31’ brown crayon
1
CD evidently asked Gray to ask Rothrock to clarify the names of the two tribes on which Rothrock based his answers to CD’s questionnaire for Expression (see letter from J. T. Rothrock to Asa Gray, 31 March 1867 and n. 2). The Nass river of western British Columbia, Canada, flows about 380 km (236 mi) south-west through the Coast Mountains to the Pacific Ocean north of Prince Rupert.
3
The reference is probably to Charles Wright, who worked at the Gray Herbarium when he was not collecting plants in the field (ANB).
5
Gray added the following note to the end of the letter: ‘J. T. Rothrock (soon to be M.D.) The former pupil of mine who worked a little over Houstonia fertilisation | A. G.’ Gray had sent CD Rothrock’s observations on Houstonia (see Correspondence vol. 10).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-5613,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-5613