publications were from writers across the big waters, one in 

 New Zealand, the other in Ireland. Birds in these countries 

 would naturally have come from England, and be of English 

 type. H. DeCourcy's article was so straightforward and sen- 

 sible, yet so conservative that it seemed to give the public good 

 ground for confidence in the breed. Unfortunately this early 

 article gave the West Indies as the original home of the Indian 

 Runner. This statement has been copied by many, while others 

 have given a widely different origin. In a recent circular, the 

 matter was disposed of in this way: "Coming originally from 

 the West Indies, they are a cross of Rouen and Wild Mallard." 

 Of the three supposed facts given here (West Indian origin, 

 Rouen blood, Mallard blood,) probably not one could be proven, 

 though the last might have some credibility through the fact that 

 most breeds of ducks are descended from the Mallard. 



I have long suspected that the DeCourcy statement, as 

 printed in this country, was an office, or "proof" error. Trying 

 to get at the facts, I wrote to Mr. DeCourcy in October, 1910. 

 inquiring if this were not the case. The reply was directly to 

 the point: "If my article says 'West' it was a misprint, — or 

 perhaps, a clerical error of mine." As the real, native home of 

 the Indian Runner has long been believed to be the East Indies, 

 it is quite easy to see how such an error could arise through the 

 misplacement of a letter or two. At no other period except when 

 the breed was just being introduced could such an error have 

 worked so much mischief to the facts. 



Among the early breeders here were Mr. Cook, Mr. Fay 

 Davis. M. V. Decker and, in 1900, A. J. Hallock. Mr. W. 

 Delano's name has also been given me as an early breeder, but 

 I have been unable to get any information from this source. It 

 will be admitted without question, I think, that our one reliance 

 for the early history of the breed in this country must be the 

 statements of the earliest breeders. 



