regarding the White Runners, except the very general one of 

 birds following the Pekin type. Some months before the present 

 writing, however, I received a letter from the south, as follows: 

 "We would like very much to know whether your white Runners 

 stay white the year 'round, or whether they are fawn a part of 

 the time. When we started with our whites, we purchased a pen 

 from one of the originators and foremost breeders of this va- 

 riety in the United States. Our pen is supposed to have been 

 taken out of the flock after the breeders had been mated up for 

 the season. We were assured that this pen was as good as the 

 best, and we paid the price. They were white when they came, 

 but they are not white now and have not been for some time. 

 The under part of the head, neck and body are quite a nice 

 shade of fawn, as you will observe by the enclosed feather. You 

 will notice it is only the tip of the feather that is fawn. ]Vhy 

 were they white when we secured them? How could the feath- 

 ers change color?" This letter is from one of the Directors of 

 the Cumberland Club and shows the need of care in buying even 

 the whites. The feathers showed nearly a half-inch tip of good 

 fawn color. Another letter of near the same time told of buy- 

 ing eggs which gave more than half spotted ducklings, like those 

 of the Fawn varieties. 



Earlier, I had thought it probable that quality in the White 

 Runner might be a thing difficult to secure at once. But corres- 

 pondents have sent me photographs showing, I think, more beau- 

 tiful birds, for type, than I have ever yet seen at the shows in any 

 one of the three varieties — pictures, indeed, of white loveliness. 



The White Runner has been described in at least one Ameri- 

 can periodical as having a full breast, with more meat than the 

 original Runners carried. From the fancy point of view, I 

 think that to breed thus to a fuller breast would be a mistake. 

 I happen to have personal data upon this very point, because 

 many of the veiy best (otherwise) of my penciled Runners 



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