From Ellen Hutchins to Dawson Turner   29 Dec 1810

Dec. 29

My dear Sir,

I have been so ill since I wrote last to you that I feel very anxious to know how all those I am interested for are passing the winter & hope to hear that you & yours enjoy health & happiness. I am now so much better, tho’ I have not been out for more than two months until this day, that I expect soon to be busy, and to send you a few drawings & some specimens of Lichens which I wish you to have soon. I have gathered many species since I sent you the last parcel, among them Parmelia speciosa without fruit & Lecidea lucida with fruit. Some species of Baeomyces that I did not send you before, this genus is very puzzling. I think you desire me to collect large quantities but you do not say which you want. Don't you think N° 54 may be distinct from Lecidea icmadophila [Icmadophila ericetorum]? The fruit is constantly sessile & flat, the crust seems I think rather more inclined to be leafy. Is not L. icmadophila the same as Baemyces Roseus. N° 57 that you say Mr. Borrer thinks a variety of Parmelia atra but that you think doubtful will I believe be found a very distinct species. I have been observing it for three years past & have seen any change in its appearance. Its very thin smooth pale yellow crust seems to distinguish it strongly. It grows on the seashore where atra is very plenty, its beautiful soft pale yellow color which fades after being kept in the house, catches the eye. N°. 70 which is you say new to you is not rare about here, you shall have as much as you wish for. Parmelia citrina [Caloplaca citrina] is not very rare here on walls. N°. 77 is the crust of a very curious species of which Sir T. Gage found the fruit. It is very plenty here in a barren state & I once got a very imperfect morsel with fruit. N°. 28 is I am pretty sure distinct from Isidium corallinum, the crust is quite different & the papillae are as far as I have seen constantly brown [Pertusaria pseudocorallina] —

The filaments of Conferva N° 74 are much finer than what I have taken for C rivularis [?Rhizoclonium sp.]. They are also much more entangled & constantly curled, so matted & fine that to the naked eye there appear no distinct filaments. This is not the case with what I took for rivularis, Mr. Dillwyn said mine was right. [text missing] it is entangled & waves along with [the] stream, it is not curled & matted into a close mass. Those simple freshwater species are extremely perplexing. I don't know if N°. 71 can be muralis [?Symploca muralis Kützing], it grew on rocks in a rapid river under water. There is no place at all near it where muralis is likely to grow.—

I find plenty of Urceolaria Acharii [Hymenellia lacustris] near waterfalls, & on rocks in rivers, do you want specimens? I have not seen the spotted variety of Hieracium murorum [Hieracium sp.] but I think the plant I sent you very different from the common appearance which grows sparingly in this country. Do you wish me to get you more specimens next summer of this or anything else. The Whales have all left the Bay. You shall have a fine specimen of Balanus Balænaris taken from the fin of the one killed here & a piece of his skin if you like, it was when taken off more smooth than my own. I hope to hear soon that you & Mrs. Turner are very well. On this subject I feel quite anxious, so many suffer in winter. May the approaching new year be one of as much happiness as this world can afford.

Believe me at all times your sincere

obliged friend

E. Hutchins

Ballylickey Decr. 29th 1810