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,