214 KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



ORDER VII. PIGEONS, ETC. cCOLUMB^) 

 An order represented, in our region, only by the following : 



FAMILY XXXI. PIGEONS (COLIjMBIU.E) 



This large family (300 species) of land birds, found in the 

 Avarmer regions of all portions of the earth, is represented in 

 the eastern United States by but few species, only four being 

 found north of southern Texas and southern Florida. They 

 cannot be said to frequent any particular kind of haunt; 

 many live most of the time on the ground, some are tree 

 birds, some seek open places, while others are to be found 

 only in forests. They are short^billed, small, round-headed, 

 plump-bodied, short-legged, smooth-plumaged birds, with a 

 peculiar, more or less iridescent, grayish and brownish colorsr 

 tion. In one way they are very different in habit from other 

 birds ; they hold the bill in the water till they finish drinking, 

 instead of raising the head at each mouthful. Most species 

 produce a whistling sound of the wings while in flight. 



Key to the Species 



* Wings, 7-9 long. (D.) 



* Wings, 5-7 long. (A.) 



* Wings, 3-4 long ; tail shorter than the wings, 2J-3 long _ 



8. Ground Dove. 



* Wings, 3-4 long; tail longer than the wings, S\-i\ long. !•. Inca Dove. 

 A. Tail about the length of the wings, 5J or more. 4. Mourning Dove. 

 A. Tail nearly two inches shorter than the wings ; southern doves, 



mainly of Florida and Texas. (B.) 



B. Forehead white, changing to bluish-gray on the crown 



G. White-fronted Dove. 



B. Forehead not white. (C.) 



C. A conspicuous white patch on the wing coverts 



7. White-winged Dove. 



C. No white wing patch or white stripe under the eye 



5. Zenaida Dove. 



C. No white wing patch, but a broad white band under tin- eye 



10 and 1 1 . Quail Doves. 



D. Tail as long as the wings 3. Passenger Pigeon. 



