Append modifying <br /> tag

Append modifying <br /> tag

If I append a <br /> tag to a page it is being written as <br>.

e.g  $('#content2').append('New Line <br />');

looks like 
      <div id="content2">New Line <br></div>

I've checked this in 1.7.2 and 1.6.4 - is this a feature? 

For example - see  http://jsfiddle.net/uAqFT/

cheers
Stuart