November
26, 1984
Dear
Mr Plant,
I
am looking at your letter of 29/6/84 and your book,The
Origin History and Distribution of the Domestic Fowl (part 2), Chicken Bone
Recoveries, 1984, which I received in the mail about three weeks ago.
Due
to my failing eyesight, I needed to await having someone read it to me and
this can be done only in a small amounts because of the unfamiliarity of the
reader with the text. Thus, I have delayed writing you. From your letter, I am
happy that the use of Timoptol seems to have things under control and that
surgery is not imminent. In my case, my eyes are gradually getting worse
and during a recent visit the Sheie Institute in Philadelphia, I have been
advised that nothing can be done to help; implant would not be possible
because e of a condition of nearsightedness
which I have been handicapped all my life.
I
have obtained to your book on the Origin, Evolution etc of the Domestic Fowl
and compliment you on your efforts to assemble all the data available
concerning the introduction of chickens into various parts of the world. I
sympathize with you and recognize the frustrations you must feel in getting
responses and incomplete data from the various investigators on the subject. I
commend you for being diligent and persistent in accumulating and codifying
the data. As you say, perhaps in the lifetimes beyond ours, someone may find
all the answers. I certainly can tolerate your digression over the Araucana
since the blue egg, the pea comb, the ears tufts and the rumplessness create
mystery about their precise origin.
In
listening to your book, I came to the conclusion that you can improve the
presentation by the use of annotation (numbered) with more limited quotations
that are most pertinent. The complete reference would be included in an
appendix. The quotes as used seem to detract from you story
thread. I might also suggest that you might get some volunteer assistance from
a nearby college or University in the fields of proof-reading and construction
from students in the English Department. You won’t have to make so many
apologies which, I think, detracts from your text.
I
admire your efforts to attain some uniformity and adoption of standard in
Australia and would encourage you and your son to be persistent about them. I
will be happy to review any information you may develop. There is one thing
that I do not agree with! In the Australian descriptions, more than one eye
color is permitted in a given breed or variety; this would certainly not be
tolerated in the United States. Proper breeding techniques will overcome this
variation.
Sincerely,