From W. G. Walker   21 August 1873

Dear Sir,

I beg you will excuse the liberty I take in addressing you; but, on reading your interesting work on the Expression of the Emotions, it has occurred to me that you might like to be informed of the following passage.

At p. 167 of your book you quote from Sir E. Tennant¹ to prove the fact of the Indian Elephants shedding tears under the influence of suffering.

Gordon Cumming gives a similar account of the African elephant. At p. 227 of “The Lion Hunter of S. Africa” (ed. 1856: Murray), he says, describing an encounter with an elephant.² “I opened fire upon him behind the shoulder, & fired 6 shots with the 2-grooved, which must eventually have proved mortal, but as yet he evinced no visible distress; after this I fired 3 shots at the same part with the Dutch 6-pounder. Large tears now trickled from his eyes, which he slowly shut & opened”, etc.

Believe me to remain | Faithfully yours, | W^m. Gregory Walker

Chas. Darwin Esq^r.