crontab think `root' is a command?

[Peter S Galbraith <GalbraithP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>]

I'm getting these cron mails under potato:

 Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 06:42:01 -0400
 From: root@mixing.qc.dfo.ca (Cron Daemon)
 To: root
 Subject: Cron <root@mixing> root	run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily

 /bin/sh: root: command not found

The cron's package /etc/crontab file doesn't indicate the format
has changed, but it looks like cron sees the `user' field as a
command in /etc/crontab:

42 6	* * *	root	run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily

Anyone else seen this behaviour?

Peter