13 MAY 1955, Page 18

THE DOG IT WAS

SIR,—As a regular reader of your paper for over forty years I was surprised to find that you had exhumed an old chestnut that I remember going the rounds in this city over thirty years ago. I refer to the story of the mushrooms and the death of the dog on whom they Were tried, as recorded by John Betjeman on page ninety-six of your issue of Januaryt 28. Is the explanation that a iolte takes thirty years to travel overseas frora Sydney to London?—Yours faithfully, R. CLIVE SEE0