Chattering on Gallus
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Chattering on Gallus The correspondence throughout the World from 1975 till 1996 by William Plant (Photo by Guido COMASINI – 1996) William John Plant of Maitland, NSW - Australia, died on 20 October, 1996. This remarkable poultry fancier, amateur researcher and historian was born on 3 May, 1921. Three years in high school were followed by work in engineering and three years on a technical college course. From 1939, interrupted by army service during World War II, he operated as amateur radio station. In 1965, in conjunction with his son David, he started to breed Pekin Bantams and they became members of the NSW Pekin Bantam Club. It was from this time that an interest in fancy fowl, and the domestic fowl generally, took on a progressively more important role in William's life. As breeders of Black Pekin Bantams, Bill and David Plant became Club Grand Champions on many occasions. William Plant served as Club Secretary and Newsletter editor (since 1974). This led ultimately to his co-editing The Australian Pekin Bantam (1993). The intriguing combination of interests in Pekin Bantams and short-wave radio provided the basis for his investigations and research into the origins and history not only of this variety, but into that of other varieties and the domestic fowl and poultry generally. While he wrote many articles for the poultry press on the history and development of varieties of domestic fowl and other poultry species in Australia, his increasing passion became the origin and evolution of the domestic fowl. Some of the results of William Plant's research were published privately, including Chicken Bone Recoveries (1984) [and essential supplement (1985)] and Gallus Species - Jungle Fowl. Had the author lived longer these were intended to form part of a comprehensive treatise that would have embraced the origin of birds together with the evolution, history and distribution of the domestic fowl. Some of his findings are cited in Poultry Breeding and Genetics (1990). To gather the information he needed, Mr Plant consulted a great many leading poultry scientists and obtained information from numerous museums, universities and institutions in many countries. It became apparent that the extensive correspondence that had accumulated could itself be of value. Bill Plant collaborated in the plan to combine this material in a book, Chattering on Gallus, that is published posthumously . Although Bill Plant was apologetic over his lack of academic background and for any. consequent deficiencies in presentation, his wide ranging investigations and research were carried out with thoroughness and great enthusiasm. Indeed, as he followed in the tracks of ancient domestic fowl he was like an indefatigable bloodhound, with the results related as a thrilling detective story. In spire of suffering impaired sight, the fruitfulness, dedication and clarity of vision of this scholar were striking and could be envied by many: who might be considered to be better qualified. Bill Plant's philosophy was one of continuous learning. He eschewed the idea that he had become an authority, linking this term with the cessation of learning. All those who had the good fortune to know this remarkable man will regret his passing. Elio CORTI & Mikhail ROMANOV The last letter sent to Bill by Elio CORTI Sunday October 6th 1996 7:40 p.m. - mailed October 10th 1996 Dear Bill, If it’s too much hard for you to read this letter, I ask from Marie to do this. As they told me that we have no too much time to communicate by letter, I would like to say that you are in my heart since the first day I knew you personally, and, perhaps, also before, when we was only corresponding by snail mail. I hope only one thing: you might leave this life without sufferance, because this life was very lavish with you not only with spiritual pains. You dictated your last will by telephone. I can assure you that my collaboration with David, in researching what you are researching since years and years, will be complete, as you can be sure that what I promise I keep. You returned from your European journey with many ideas for the Australian breeders. One of these ideas was to give them the Australian Poultry Standard. I think that as remembrance of the big and strong man you are, every friend of you must be available to realise this dream. This dream must become reality. In this way for each of us it will be like living at your side, under your benevolent and reassuring smile. The last words I told you in the Milano's airport have been: we will see in Pine River, Minnesota. I don’t know where we will see next time. May be in the chickens’ Paradise. So, it will be possible to know definitely either all the domestic chickens are an offspring of the Bankiva or not. Next week I will meet Loyl in central Switzerland, near Lucerne. I will speak to him about our unsuccessful meeting in Minnesota. It will be for another time!!! Please give my greetings to your dog Bob. My mother, Guido, Paco, Rex, Merlo, Pinga and all my chickens and my three volumes of Summa Gallicana are with you, a silent fighting winner cock. The dedication of my job will be for the two strongest persons I met in my life: Claudia & Bill. You are in my heart and in my mind, for ever and ever. I always remember with a lot of pleasure the spring of 1996 because it has been really intense, spontaneous and full of emotions. It was then that I met Bill, the Man of the Pekin. It was impossible not to have respect and esteem for a man that devoted half of his life to the love for the Chickens. It is very uncommon a such keenness that comes from the heart, and not everybody is able to understand…It’s depending from the point of view you are looking at the world, everything is depending… When Bill passed away, part of his keenness for animals emigrated in me. In fact it is during that period that I begun to develop a passion at first for the chickens (Pekin, Rosecomb, Appenzeller spitzhauben, Dwarf modern English game), then arrived the passion of my life, together with flowers and plants: geese, ducks, swans. Bill was a very calm person, serene and very well-mannered. I have been able to do a trip with him and with Dr Elio Corti through the European beauties. He was a person with whom it was possible to speak about everything, but for me the English language was the only flaw. What a pity! I would have been able to learn a lot, also on waterfowls. If the Italian breeders were devoted with half the interest emitted by Bill, the Italian aviculture would find a place of all respect towards the more developed Countries in avicultural field, like Germany, Holland, UK, USA, Australia. But, alas, it is not so. The few persons - and I know one of them - that could help the whole system, they cannot do it, not for lack of will, but because it is difficult to have some recognitions, and with time, considering that the man lives also of gratifications, the trust is lost and everything goes to the dogs. It is a true pity. Now, after 4 years, a lot of things in my life have changed, but the special persons like Bill remain always close to us with our memories and hopes. Guido Comasini Chattering on Gallus The correspondence throughout the World from 1975 till 1996 by William Plant W Antonella COMASINI Busto Arsizio - Italy Typing of hand-written correspondence Fernando CIVARDI Milano - Italy Review of English and punctuation Elio CORTI Valenza - Italy Page maker Guido COMASINI Busto Arsizio - Italy Assistant Page maker Printed in Valenza – Italy 2000 INTRODUCTION This collection and coalation of my correspondence over a period of some 20 years was suggested by Dr. Corti of Valenza in Italy after he visited my home in Australia during 1995. Dr. Corti scanned all my files and copied much during his visit and after reading all this correspondence he decided it should go into print and undertook to coalate it and make master copies for it to go into book from. I had not considered this aspect although many facets of the study of chickens were contained in the literature. For many years I had been researching information on first of all the Pekin (Cochin) Bantam then the Origin of the Domestic Chicken in general. Living in Australia made this difficult for we are a long way from sources of information. This necessitated me writing many letters all over the world, hence all this correspondence. At the same time it will be noted much correspondence with the late Mr. Frank Gary who was for many years Chairman of the Standards Committee of the American Bantam Association. Being myself involved with the Pekin Bantam Club of New South Wales, now the Pekin Bantam Club of Australia, I was most interested together with my son David and our then President Neville Notley and later Tony Mills, who is now President, most interested in compiling colour standards for a number of new colours which were being exhibited in Australia. Also we felt the standard, i.e. British Standard used in Australia, could be made a little more explicit for our purposes. In this field we sought advice form Mr. Gary, who I consider the greatest standard maker we have seen. I say this because in my library I have many standard works and I would rate the America Bantam Association Standard the most clearcut standard I have seen.