COLlTMmD.E — THE l'ir.KO\S. 357 



Family COLUMBID-ffi. — Tin; I'ujkuns. 



Char. The basal portion of tho bill covered by a soft skin, ia which arc situated the 

 nostrils, overhung by an incumbent fleshy valve, the apical portion hard and convex. 

 The hind toe on the same level with the rest; the anterior toes without membrane at the 

 base. Tarsi more or less naked; covered laterally and behind with he.xajjonal scales. 



The lull of the Columbidcc is alway.s shorter than the head, thinnest in tlie 

 middle ; the basal halt' covered by a soft skiu ; the aj^ical portion of both jaws 

 hard ; the upper one very convex, blunt, and broad at the tip, where it is 

 also somewhat deciirved. Tiiere is a long nasal groove, the posterior portion 

 occupied by a cartilaginous scale, covered by a soft cere-like skin. The nos- 

 trils constitute an elongated slit in the lower Ijorder of the scale. The cul- 

 men is always depressed and convex. The bill is never notched in the true 

 Doves, though Didunculus shows well-deBned serrations. The tongue is 

 small, soft, and somewhat fleshy. 



The wing has ten primaries, and eleven or twelve, rarely fifteen, seconda- 

 ries ; the latter broad, truncate, and of nearly ecpial length. The tail is 

 rounded or cuneate, never forked. 



The tarsus is usually short, rarely longer than the middle toe, scutellate 

 anteriorly, and with hexagonal plates laterally and behind ; sometimes 

 naked. xVn inter-digital membrane is either wanting entirely, or else is 

 very sliglitly indicated between the middle and outer toes. 



The valuable monograiih of Bonaparte in the second part of Cu)ispccfus 

 Avium renders the task of arranging the American Cohimhida: in proper 

 sequence and of determining their synonomy comparatively easy. He 

 divides the family into Lupholamiiue, Golunibiiue, Tartu riiuv, Zeiiaidinm, and 

 Phapince, the second and fourth alone occurring in Xortli America. Tliey 

 may be briefly distinguished as follows : — 



Columbinse. Tarsus shorter tlian the lateral toe ; feathered above. 

 Zeaaidiuae. Tarsus longer than the lateral toes ; entirely bare of feathers. 



Subfamily COLUMBINE. 



Char. Tarsi stout, short, with ti-ansverse scutella; anteriorly; feathered for the ba.^al 

 third above, but not at all bi^hind. Toes lengthened, the lateral decidedly longer than 

 the tarsus. Wings lengtheneil and pointed. Size large. Tail-feathers twelve. 



This section of doves embraces the largest Xorth American species, and 

 among them the more arboreal ones. The genera are as follows : — 



Columba. Head large; tail sliort. broad, and rounded. 



Outer toe much longer than the iiuier; bill rather shorl, stout . Onliimha. 



Outer toe .scarcely longer than the inner ; bill lengthened, compressed Patmjmnas. 

 Ectopibtes. 1 bud very small ; tail nnieli lengthened, cuneate. 



