From John Ball   25 June [1874]¹

My dear M^r Darwin

Having lately returned to England after a long absence of nearly 12 months I received only to day a note from you addressed to my former house in St George’s Road— Of course I could not comply with your wish on that occasion but although I dont like making pledges I think I may safely promise to vote at any future ballot for any one whom you recommend for the Athenaeum.² I was tempted to write to you from Rome last winter but being laid up for some weeks failed to do so— The point was to call your attention if that had not been already done to a work by an American writer—I fancy the name is Ward—containing much curious & seemingly reliable observation of the habits of the beaver—³ I know it only at second hand through M^r Marsh⁴ the U. States Minister in Italy a man remarkable for a large store of accurate & well arranged knowledge on many different subjects. I fear that I have lost or mislaid the memorandum I made at the time

More recently I have heard from an old French friend whom I consider a thoroughly credible witness some anecdotes of dogs that seem to me to carry the evidence as to their intellectual faculties some degrees farther than anything I know of— If on further enquiry I am confirmed in that impression I will get my informant, who is partly a witness and in each case was well acquainted with the human & canine actors, to write the story down & forward it to you.⁵

Believe me | very faithfully yours | John Ball

C. Darwin Esq F.R.S.