From J. T. Moggridge   21 May [1866]¹

Dear M^r. Darwin

I send a small box containing two plants of what I take to be Orchis coriophora, gathered at Cannes; also a spike of Serapias cordigera Linn. which happens to be tolerably well preserved.— —²

The marshy field where the self-fertilising Oph: scolopax used to grow has now begun to feel the effects of drainage & the Ophryses generally are dying out there— — —³ Perhaps these plants may have been hybrids between Oph. scolopax & apifera, & thus, having a more precarious tenure of life, are the first to disappear completely—⁴

Talking of hybrids, I have had a most valuable lesson lately upon hybrid Cistuses from D^r Bornet at Antibes— — He has been making observations for several years in M. Thuret’s garden,⁵ &, though he says that it must be yet some years before he can publish his observations, I think that some important points are already cleared up—

Firstly the old dictum about the hybrid having the foliage of the mother & the habit of the father plant, does not hold in the least.— Secondly, it appears that some characters are more sure of reappearing than others; as for ex: the hairyness of one parent seems to be always transmitted; & the scorpioid inflorescence of Cistus monspeliensis is always found in its descendants— — —⁶

D^r. Bornet seems to be a most conscientious observer; his energy is not even daunted by the very early hours at which the flowers open, & he is to be found regularly at work between 5^. & 6^. a.m. upon the fertilisation!—

I had great pleasure in making Miss Darwin’s acquaintance at Cannes,⁷ & I much wish that it were possible that I might some day have the priviledge of seeing & speaking to her Father—⁸

believe me | y^rs. very sincerely | J. Traherne Moggridge.

I think that we shall be at the above adress for a month at least.