While the "West Indies story" was going the rounds, with 

 no one contradicting it, and gaining strength through repetition, 

 the British birds were being quietly bred for some time, before 

 the public began to awaken to the value of the Runners. The 

 Davids brothers, of Kansas, began about 1903, Davis in 1897, 

 Hallock in 1900. These three, I know, had their birds from 

 Great Britain. I think there is no room for doubt that all the 

 other early breeders had stock from the same source, either direct 

 or through contemporary breeders. 



During the season of 1913 not less than 1000 breeders adver- 

 tising Indian Runners were listed. There may have been others, 

 and many new ones have since entered the field. Eight years ago 

 Reliable Poultry Journal — for years a favorite medium with the 

 duck breeders — carried only two Indian Runner advertisements 

 in May in the Classified lists. 



One of the two who were thus advertising in 1903 was Cook. 

 In 1906 he blossomed out as the breeder of "the only true fawn 

 and white colors, and the world's heaviest laying strain." Re- 

 membering that this was only seven years ago, we may well be 

 amazed at the advance which the Runners have so recently made 

 in public favor. According to these figures, the fawn and white 

 type became "the only true" just about seven years ago. It may 

 be remembered, also, that this was the year the Standard which 

 breeders have followed since, up to 1910, began to be followed. 



It would seem that, even in Great Britain, the Runners were 

 not well and widely known so very much longer than they have 

 been known here. In 1893, four years before Mr. Davis received 

 his first birds, a book on poultry for profit was put out by a Brit- 

 isher who had previously written another poultry book, and who 

 might have been thought to be fairly well posted. He mentions 

 only three breeds of ducks, but takes occasion to remark : "It is 

 much to be regretted that no steps have been taken to breed lay- 

 ing strains of ducks." 



7 



