From M. T. Masters   6 May 1871

My dear Sir,

The perusal of your fascinating volumes of the Descent of Man will no doubt lead many to send you anecdotes of dogs usque ad nauseam.¹ As however your waste paper basket must be large there will surely be room for this note if it be of no interest to you—and therefore I venture to send you a copy of a note I made in 1865

“A dog (bull-dog) belonging to my next door neighbour calls the servant every ‘lawful’ morning at seven a.m. by barking (?) or scratching at her door but on Sunday mornings the dog does not rouse the servant till 8 a.m. The dog has done this without fail for several years”

—My neighbour at that time was a great dog fancier and kept several bull-dogs and he told me that anectode many times and showed me the dog. Though this is merely hear-say evidence I have no doubt what ever that it is correct and should you desire to sift the story I could readily furnish you with the name and address of my quondam² neighbour—

Faithfully Y^rs | Maxwell. T. Masters

C. Darwin Esq