COLUMBID.E. 



40 



Columbine. 



SUB-FAMILY II. 



The Pigeons jyrojjer. 



Gex. Chaeac. — Bill moderate, slender, the basal portion covered with a soft 

 tumid skin, and the apical part hard, and slightly vaulted and acute at the 

 tip ; the nostrils forming a longitudinal slit in the fore part of the soft basal 

 portion of the bill ; the wings moderate and pointed ; the tail of various 

 lengths, and usually rounded ; the tarsi generally short ; the toes length- 

 ened, the lateral ones mostly equal, and the hind toe about the length of the 

 tarsus. 



Fig. 161. — the wood-pigeon. 



{Cohimba Palumhun.) 



Tliese birds are widely distributed througliout the 

 world. During tlie summer montlis tliey are gene- 

 rally seen in pairs^ but on the commencement of 

 winter tliey congregate in flocks, and migrate to 

 more southern latitudes. Most of the species feed 



