116 BIRDS. 



Plumage soft, compact, the feathers very loosely inserted. 

 Altricial; monogamous. 



FAMILY XLVIL COLUMBINE. 



( The Doves.) 



Wings long, pointed. Tail never forked, of 12 or 14 

 feathers; male with the neck iridescent. Species about 

 three hundred, found in most regions, but most abundant 

 in the East Indies. Besides the following, quite a num- 

 ber of species occur in the Southern States. The com- 

 mon domesticated dove (Colutnba livid) is a fair type of 

 the family. 



* Tarsus feathered at the suffrage, shorter than the lateral toes; 

 tail very long, wedge-shaped, of 12 feathers. ECTOPISTES, 1. 

 ** Tarsus entirely bare, longer than the lateral toes, 

 f Tail long, pointed, of 14 feathers ; length more than 10. 



ZEN^DUKA, 2. 

 f f Tail short, rounded, of 12 feathers ; length less than 8. 



ClfA.M.KI'ELIA, 3. 



/. ECTOPISTES, Swainson. PASSENGER PIGEONS. 

 1. E. migrator/us, (L.) Sw. WILD PIGEON. Bluish with 

 reddish and violet tinges, reddish below; L. 17; W. 7; 

 T. 8. N. A., abundant; gregarious. 



2. ZEN/EDURA, Bonaparte. MOURNING DOVES. 



1. Z. carolinensis, (L.) Bon. MOURNING DOVE. TURTLE 

 DOVE. CAROLINA DOVE. Brownish olive, glossed with 

 blue and wine color; plumage with metallic lustre; L. 

 12; W. of; T. 6f . U. S., abundant. 



3. CHAM/EPELIA, Swainson. GROUND DOVES. 



1. .C passerina, (I,.) Sw. GROUND DOVE. Grayish 

 olive, with bluish gloss; L. 6; W. 3; T. 2f. Southern, 

 N. to Washington, D.C. 



