and that the bird it demands has never been bred and cannot 

 be bred. 



Despite many such statements, the new Standard does not 

 call for light fawn and white, and it does not disqualify the pen- 

 ciled birds. The American Standard disqualifications refer to 

 the dark breast known as "claret" and to the blue bars on wing, 

 which are generally taken as showing foreign blood; beyond this, 

 absence of feathers in the wings and twists in wings, back or 

 tail, complete the list of special disqualifications, and I find noth- 

 ing in the general disqualifications which applies to Indian Run- 

 ners. 



The American Standard everywhere stands firmly for shape 

 as making the breed — any breed. For instance, under Plymouth 

 Rocks, it says : "The six varieties are identical, except in color." 

 When it comes to the Indian Runner, the Standard allows 3-5 

 points out of one hundred for color, and 41 for shape. Yet, 

 with only 35 points on color, and 61 for shape and carriage, how 

 is it that the light fawn breeders, who show by their advertising 

 that they haven't even the color demanded by the American 

 Standard, can claim to have a good Runner? Sixty-one points 

 for shape and carriage, and every judge considering color first ! 



Now, listen : There must be more than one shade of fawn : 

 because even the American Standard calls for darker fawn in 

 head of drake than in other parts. Fawn color is a light, yel- 

 lowish-brown ; so says Webster. And if the Standard has no 

 specific definition, it must accept the usual meaning of a word. 

 Therefore, the English duck known as a "fawn" duck long be- 

 fore the American Standard style was in existence, has double 

 claim to use the word "fawn," if its breeders so desire, because 

 it has two shades of fawn! 



Those breeders of the American type who, apparently, were 

 not willing to give the English ducks any chance, have persist- 

 ently denied the purity of the penciled type, although the great 



38 



