Thanks for the information about the twins of the mulatto couple. If MadMadMargo is half-Shalampaxian, recessive genes must explain her appearance because nobody here is anywhere near that beautiful.

To the best of my knowledge, Birdinhand is an only child. So, if Roof is your father, he is your only Shalampaxian half-brother. Then again, fidelity is not a significant part of marriages here, so it’s possible that Roof fathered another child by another women, but women usually avoid pregnancy if at all possible unless they are chosen to bring our population up to quota, so it’s not terribly likely.

I can suggest that Birdinhand get DNA testing to see if he really is Roof’s son. However, if you’re going by appearance only then you can’t be Shalampaxian. We have a very shallow gene pool here so we all look pretty much alike. Birdinhand is one of the handsomer of dudes, but it’s only a question of degree, not a basic difference in his appearance from the appearance of the rest of us. As David suggested, if you’re Shalampaxian almost all of the genes that fashioned your outward appearance (except, apparently, for the one that gave you your birthmark) must have come from your mother.

As for that concern of MadMadMargo’s about not having much of a resemblance to the potential half-brother, there was a recent news report about a mulato couple that had twins – one appears white and has blond hair, one appears black and has black hair – perhaps the Shalampaxian genes are more recessive than Marie’s.

Okay, now that I’ve settled down, of course, this will have to be verified by DNA testing and, come to think of it, there isn’t much of a resemblance between Birdinhand and myself. Maybe his DNA should be checked too.

I can’t wait for the outcome of these tests!!! Thank you for the report, Stoneupnose.