Indian Runner Duck, the report, supported by a signed 

 affidavit, stating that one of its writer's Indian Runners had laid 

 98 eggs in 96 days. "Eggs are large and white," the report con- 

 tinued. 



Turning now to my private correspondence, the first letter ] 

 pick up says : "All lay white eggs ; 49 ducks laid from Feb. 15 

 to July 15, 150 days, 5316 eggs ; up to Aug. 15, 180 days, 6000. 

 Note that this is for a business flock, and that the average is 20 

 eggs a month for each duck, all through, or 120 each in six 

 months." This is not high, but it is one-half higlier than the 

 average record for hens in a full year, with six full months yet to 

 hear from. This report is from California. 



The next report is virtually the same, viz., 30 eggs a month 

 from the middle of Feb. to the middle of July. It continues : 

 "They are now laying right along (over 50 per cent) and show 

 signs of moulting. Seven-eighths of the feed I have given them 

 has been cracked corn. They have had no wet mash. Since the 

 ice broke up they have had the run of the mill pond across the 

 road. They have also laid eggs around the farm which I have not 

 counted, though I often come across one or more. They have not 

 offered to sit. Their pen is an old cow shed on north side of 

 barn. Abut 35 rats also occupy this pen. (I caught eight once 

 last week. ) They may get some of the eggs before I get up in the 

 morning." 



A letter which came from the far south says : "I now have 

 seven ducklings which will be seven weeks old to-morrow. I also 

 have a lot of Barred Rock chicks which are just three days 

 younger. This morning, I concluded to weigh some of each, 

 and compare them. All my ducks weighed more than two pounds 

 each, two of them tipping the scales at two and one-half pounds 

 each. My largest chick weighed about three-quarters of a pound. 

 When I first set my eggs poultrymen advised against it, on the 

 ground that they would eat me out of house and home. They do 



49 



