210 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Order COLUMB-/E. — The Pigeons. (Page 2.) 



Families. 



(Characters same as those given for the Order) .. Columbidae. (Page 210.) 



Family COLUMBID^.— The Pigeons or Doves. (Page 210.) 



(Nest a flat frail platform of sticks, straws, etc., usually in trees. Eggs 2, plain 

 white or buflPy white.) 



Genera. 



a}. Tarsus shorter than lateral toes, (Subfamily Columbince.) 



6^ Tail much shorter than wing, slightly rounded, the feathers broad and 



rounded, or nearly truncated, at tips Columba. (Page 211.) 



6". Tail nearly as long as wing, graduated, the feathers narrow and pointed at 



tips Ectopistes. (Page 212.) 



a^ Tarsus longer than lateral toes. (Subfamily Zenaidinai.') 

 b^. Front of tarsus covered by transverse seutellse. 

 c\ Wing more than 5.00. 



d}. Terminal portion of outer quill abruptly narrowed. 



Engyptila. (Page 214.) 

 d"^. Terminal portion of outer quill not narrowed. 



e\ Outer webs of only second and third quills very slightly sinu- 

 ated (sinuatlon scarcely perceptible). 

 /^ Tail-feathers 12 ; tail rounded, less than three-fourths as 

 long as wing, the feathers broad and rounded at tips. 

 g^. Culmen longer than lateral toes, without claws ; tail 

 nearly three-fourths as long as wing ; a white 

 patch covering larger wing-coverts. 



Melopelia. (Page 214.) 

 ^^ Culmen shorter than lateral toes, without claws ; tail 

 barely more than two-thirds as long as wing ; no 

 white patch on wing-coverts. 



Zenaida. (Page 213.) 

 /^ Tail-feathers 14 ; tail graduated, usually more than three- 

 fourths (always more than two-thirds) as long as 

 wing, the feathers more or less narrowed at tips. 



Zenaidura. (Page 212.) 

 e^. Outer webs of second to fifth quills, inclusive, distinctl}^ sinu- 

 ated ; tail less than two-thirds as long as wing. 



Geotrygon. (Page 216.) 



