The
Director - Dept of Ornithology
Smithsonian Institution - Washington D.C. 20560
12-9-1980
Dear
Sir,
Over
the past few years I have been carrying out private research on the origin,
evolution, history and distribution of the domestic chicken. I do not have an
academic background but over the period have collected quite a deal of
material on the subject and am in the process of putting it together and have
formed some conclusions which although somewhat hypothetically the moment
through lack of positive evidence.
There
are however some facts I have learned which may assist in providing some
answers to the aforementioned subject.
During
my studies I noted in the publication Man
across the sea page 180 in the section written by Professor George Carter
entitled Pre-Columbian Chickens that chicken bones were found in graves on
Mocha Island, Chile, that must date before 1687 by Dillman S. Bullock (I do
not know in what year there were found).
Professor
Carter stated that the bone was examined by experts of your Institution as
being those of Gallus gallus.
However no dating of this bone was made. Perhaps some further work has been
done on this bone if it is still with your Institution.
In
a recent communication from Professor Olsen of the University of Arizona he
informed me that as yet there have been no pre-Columbian chicken bones
discovered in the Araucania and until such bones as there are we cannot assume
that they existed prior to being brought there by the Spanish.
I
have ascertained that chicken bone has been discovered in North East Thailand,
Watom Island, New Britain, on a Neolithic site of Pan-p’o near Sian in
Northern China and in England so would be interested to hear of any other
discoveries that may have occurred over the past few years.
Any
information you may have on this subject would be much appreciated, also any
research that I may follow.
Sincerely
yours,