From Edmund Skepper   15 November 1860

My dear Sir,

Many thanks for yr very kind letter received some time since, which I ought to have acknowledged earlier. I write now to send you a specimen of Cinclidium stygium, Swartz. which I gathered in tolerable quantity on the 1 ^st of this month at Tuddenham—a very favourite haunt of mine, and which have been previously found in the South district only, I am informed by M. ^r Wilson. It is singular it should now be in mature fruit. It must have fruited twice this year— in consequence of the net, I suppose. I found also in fruit the same day Anthoceros punctatus, quite out of season. I am sorry to say Holosteum umbellatum is lost to Bury and has been for some years— or I should be very happy to send it to you I have gathered it at Norwich but not in fruit. I find Hypnum abietinum but sparingly on our sandy ground about your old haunts. I fancy it is rarer than it used to be. Smith’s Diatomaceae named in yr letter I know very well. I have worked ill.del. at the diatoms in the neighbourhood for some time and have a great many species. I am now encountering the Lichens— in which class you have so distinguished yourself. I find them very difficult I never did much in them till lately, or I always considered them the “stickers” of Botany— They are very interesting nevertheless. Hoping your health is improved since you last wrote

I am, my dear Sir | your very truly | Edm ^d Skepper