To Henry Reeks   5 March [1873]¹

My dear Sir

I have received a multitude of letters about my Expression book, but I do not think one has contained so many valuable remarks as yours, & I thank you accordingly.— I have had copied out many of your pencil observations, & I return by this post your copy.² I have written your name, as you desired, & as you seemed to wish to have my autograph, I have added a few words; but no sooner had I done so than I became aware that I had by implication told a falsehood, as if I had presented the copy.—

I do not know what to think about your two cases of children “pounding” whilst sucking their tongues, for I have never seen & cannot hear of infants whilst really sucking the breast thus acting. I have been particularly glad to hear about the Blushing—about the pigs’ ears (I wish I knew whether Boars with well developed tusks thus move their ears when savage)³ & about the Bull & black cows; also about the rabbits. You must be a most acute & careful observer, thus to have observed without your attention having been specially directed to the points in question.⁴

There are several points, which I sh^d like to discuss with you; but I am in truth overwhelmed with letters. With my best thanks, pray believe me yours very faithfully & obliged | Ch. Darwin

It is most gratifying to me that my Book has interested you.—

P.S. The youth who trembled so that he c^d not reload his gun after killing his first snipe was myself, when a school-boy.⁵