Professor John L.Skinner
Middleton - Wisconsin- USA

28-12-1987

Dear John,

I thank you very much for your Xmas greetings and nice to hear from you. Yes, I’m still plugging away with the research and have a couple of new publications out shortly: one compiled on OEG Colors which were originally published in our old Poultry newspaper on a weekly basis some 50 years ago. I have put them in one package. They were written by one of Australia’s all time greats in the Poultry world in Australia, A.J.Compton. Also later in 1988 I hope to have completed The Breeds of Domestic Fowl Created in Australia. The unfortunate thing is that I have to do all the typing, printing etc myself as I can’t obtain any financial assistance. And of course the quality of the end product does not rate very highly. This slows me down somewhat as I have stacks of material which could be published if I just had to coalate it and not have to do the printing etc and of course some finance. However this is a challenge.

A letter later I will send you a copy of our Pekin Bantam Club Color Standard. It is close to completed, only have two colours to do. I have been involved heavily in this doing the research on it. It was needed we will be revising the type standard also as the British Standard is not very explicit. This may be of interest to you. The late Frank Gary was a tremendous help to me. I had very high regard for his ability. Also one of our Club members has been doing some really useful work in producing Barred Pekins in Australia. He has gone about the job in a very methodical way and although he has a way to go yet is making good progress.

He is preparing a paper on this project and I will be printing it for the Pekin Club. We are producing it in the interest of the breed. I will send you a copy when it becomes available. I haven’t seen the text as yet but am pretty confident it will be good material. I have been in close contact with this chap throughout his project. Yes, I guess it would be hard to find the White Cochins amongst the snow. I realise it gets pretty cold in Wisconsin at this time of the year. OK on truing to retire. I jeep pretty busy. I wonder how I ever had time to go to work. Hope you had a good Xmas and best wishes for 1988.