16 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL HERBARIUM. 



ural history during the occupation, but in this he was mistaken, for 

 soon after he was seized, thrown into prison, and placed in chains, 

 and thus he remained until the French Army returned. Thereupon 

 he Avas released and per-mitted to return to the museum. Again the 

 French retreated, and Mociiio, who was now far advanced in years 

 (the date of liis birth is not known), resolved not to risk his fortunes 

 again with the Spanish authorities, and took his departure, bearing 

 with him in a cart his manuscripts and drawings. By night he 

 slept in the cart, and by day he walked beside it, until it was taken 

 from him by a French officer. He managed, however, to save his 

 possessions and to escape from Spain, and as it w^as evidently un- 

 safe for him to return to Madrid he took refuge at Montpellier. He 

 was nearly blind and was reduced to beggary, from which he was 

 rescued by certain French scientists. 



In Montpellier he became acquainted with De Candolle and Dunal, 

 who joined with him in assigning names to the new species of planes 

 he had discovered. To De Candolle he turned over his manuscripts 

 and drawings, and that famous Swiss botanist seems to have been 

 the first of those who had seen them to have formed an adequate 

 idea of their value. Mociiio often visited De Candolle's lecture 

 room, and one day the latter had occasion to deliver a eulog}' of 

 the Mexican botanist, unaware that the subject of his praise wa& 

 present. When the latter's presence was pointed out to him, De 

 Candolle embraced Mocino effusively and pressed him to take the 

 chair and elucidate the subject that had suggested his name. Over- 

 come by the occasion, Mocino burst into tears and was unable to 

 speak a word. 



After passing a few years at Montpellier, the adoption of the 

 constitution in Spain gave Mocifio hope that he might be permitted 

 to return to Madrid. He besought such permission of the govern- 

 ment, and it w^as finally gi-anted. In April, 1817, consequently, he 

 asked of De Candolle, who was now in Geneva, the return of liis 

 papers. The request was evidently made in urgent terms, but De 

 Candolle wjis determined to keep copies of the drawings and descrip- 

 tions, and hastened to have these made. De Candolle says that 

 "About 120 persons came voluntarily to offer me their time and 

 brushes; most of them were ladies of society; but there were also 

 professional artists and a multitude of persons who were strangers 

 to me. The young people united in the common task. The whole 

 city was busy for 10 days, and the diligence of all those who knew 

 how to use a brush or pencil was really affecting. * * * As a 

 result of this diligence the collection of Mocino was ahnost wholly 

 copied in the time fixed." " De (^xndolle never recounted this affec- 

 tionate demonstration of his fellow citizens," says Dunal, "but his 

 «yeb filled with tender tears." The number of drawings thus copied 



