Professor
John Ostrom
Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University - New Haven - Connecticut - USA
8-12-1983
Dear
Professor Ostrom,
You
may recall some 2 years ago I wrote you with regard to my private research on
the Origin Evolution History and
Distribution of the Domestic Chicken. You kindly supplied me with your
paper Archaeopteryx
since then I have collected some information on the subject and am presently
endeavouring to obtain a paper written by Jànossy (1977) of discoveries on
chicken bone in the Carpathian basin. I have also learned that chicken bone
has been unearthed in NE Thailand, Northern China and on Watom Island New
Britain.
You
will remember I mentioned the small claws on the wings I discovered on my
Pekin (Cochin Bantam) back in 1978. I never pursued this matter but a few of
my correspondents have shown interest in this fact so I am going to check them
through shortly and seen what I can come up with. It may only occur
occasionally. I will advise of any development.
Recently
noted in the press and television the information on the discovery of the
fossil remains of a giant bird named the Teratorn in Argentina. No doubt you
are aware of this fact. Apparently the fossils are in the Los Angeles County
Natural History Museum. I am still endeavouring to ascertain whether chickens
existed in pre-Columbian Americas. I would like to make contact with someone
in South America who may be able to give me a lead in this direction. The
question of pre-Columbian chickens in the Americas has never been resolved
with positive evidence.
My
main reason for writing is to include a press cutting of a recent discovery in
Australia which I felt may be of interest to you or some of your co-workers at
Yale. Still enjoying the research, hope to put together some notes on the
subject one of these days.
Sincerely
yours,