1
October 1980
Dear
Bill:
Thanks
for your letter of 14/8/80, that was a while back! Also tanks for the
information on the Pekin Bantams. They are a good breed of chickens, indeed.
One of these days I shall have some.
Another
article that I just came across in a reference is: Jànossy, D. 1977, Plio-Pleistocene
bird remains from the Carpathian Basin. 1 Galliformes. 2 Phasianidæ. Aquila
83:29-42. Discusses 11 paleo and 3 neospecies.
Describes
Gallus beremendensis (Lowest Pleistocene) and Francolinus subfrancolinus (Lower Pleistocene), new species. Author
considers the first of these, the nearly complete humerus of a small form of
Gallus, to be of great significance concerning the origin of the domestic
fowl!!
A
person you may contact about the New World history of domestic fowl is Dr
Stanley Olsen, Dept. of Anthropology/Archæology, University of Arizona,
Tucson, Arizona, USA.
All
the best with your work. Keep me posted. Sorry this letter is so short but I’m
due out with students at this point.