TALBOT377

Aug 20

My dear Henry

Here are some lichens, from the woods – what are they. are you in France or no? You ought ab^t this time to receive a valuable packet from me but not all for you – do with it as there in desired – I have found all the vaccinia in our w^ds except oxycocc or Glukva as they call it–¹ I send you the best specimens of lichen I can see but am very ignorant – the high M^ts you see are the hills of Pulkova ² to the S.E. Dondoroff to the S. & Bronnaia to the W.³ they are not very high I have been on all of them – Dondoroff is celebrated for its rare plants I look^d in vain for Limodorum Boreale & found only Campanula –. I know not what – I am making a small collection of the plants of hereabouts – There are heaps of Pyrola in seed but all as rotten as possible – On Dondoroff I found the pretty Lonicera Sibirica – but as there was once a garden in that wood it may not be truly wild as it is a fashionable Shrubbery plant about Peter ⁴ – The Fins in [?]⁵ this neighbourhood live on Toad stools & when I give them good whole some mushrooms they throw them away – is it not perverse? Tell me all the new discoveries –

Y^r Aff:
W T H F S

Bekova⁶
Aug 20

the white from Gatchina, uncertain if wild or tame – the yellow from the quay bet[ween] the exchange & the Neva–⁷

Cerastium
Potentilla

I am in pain till I hear of the safe arrival of my plants at Oxford. ⁸

W. H. F. Talbot Esq–