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.