Sir—

I hope you will pardon my intruding on your fully occupied time in the hope of obtaining the solution of a question which has often puzzled me.

What prompts dogs of all kinds to roll themselves on decayed animal matter? is it an act⁠⟨⁠u⁠⟩⁠al present gratification or an in an inherited habit. Dog⁠⟨⁠s⁠⟩⁠ have been my daily compan⁠⟨⁠ion⁠⟩⁠s for years & they have all done whatever their bringing up has been, but the most ⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{2}{3}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ in this ⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{2}{3}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ known is ⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{2}{3}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ poodle which we ⁠⟨⁠have⁠⟩⁠ had f⁠⟨⁠rom⁠⟩⁠ puppyhood & he ⁠⟨⁠if⁠⟩⁠ he can find nothing better will ⁠⟨⁠ro⁠⟩⁠ll himself on a dried up ⁠⟨⁠fi⁠⟩⁠g as dry as an old board. He cannot do this from any moisture communicated thereby to his own skin or by way of perfuming himself for I examined the thing & it had no smell but he certainly derived pleasure from the operation for on returning to the same spot after a weeks interval, he hunted out his [rollee] & began at once. My setters spaniels & other dogs never miss a chance in this way but ⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{1}{2}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ poodle is the w⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{1}{2}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ Foxes have the ⁠⟨⁠ $\frac{1}{2}$ line missing⁠⟩⁠ but prefer ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ remain ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠ cat to anything else & ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠ travel for miles for the c⁠⟨⁠ha⁠⟩⁠nce of a roll in these rema⁠⟨⁠ins⁠⟩⁠.

I do not think that I ev⁠⟨⁠er⁠⟩⁠ observed dogs follow this habit in China or elsewhere in the East but of this I am not certain.

Pray accept my thanks for the many hours of instructive & most amusing reading your published works have afforded me. & I have the honor to be | Yours faithfully | W Bridges