3-7-1994

Dear Mister Plant,

First of all excuse my English.

I am a physician, cardiologist, born in Italy in 1942. I am writing a book of poultry genetics because in Italy doesn't exist a specific book in this matter, nor exists a Poultry Standard. The ignorance of Italian breeders about the poultry genetics is very great. So I have resolved to write this book.

Today I have finished in reading your Part 3 of The origin evolution ...The Gallus species. I have found your job very interesting and I have made clear many problems.

I am incompetent in this specific matter, but I agree with you that there are 3 types of fowls, this statement is scientifically difficult, but I think that it's true or near to the verity. As you say, it is necessary, even in natural sciences, to use in the judgement the instinct of the simple man of the way.

If the people thinks that we are offspring from the monkey, this may be true. I never had accepted in my subconscious that the Malay was a offspring from Bankiva! Nevertheless this is the current idea into the Italian breeders! The difference is as chalk and cheese!

I want to suggest to You a correction.

In Latin the LEG is CRUS, nominative case and neuter. The genitive is CRURIS (of the leg - plural CRURUM, of the legs), not CRUSIS. Excuse me.

Do you can indicate to me where I might find information about the particular coloration of the Yokohama? The male can carry an imperfect e^b (or e^p) gene, but the female seems carrying the e⁺ gene. This is a pied subject and the literature is very scant.

Do you wrote a book about the origin of Bantams? If so, send me, please.

I thank you very much.