116 BIRDS. 



Plumage soft, compact, the feathers very loosely inserted. 

 Altricial; monogamous. 



FAMILY XLVIL — COLUMBID^]. 



( The Doves.) 

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

 feathers; male with the neck iridescent. Species ahout 

 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 (Columha lima) 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. 



Zenaidura, 2. 



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



CUAM.^PELIA, 3. 



/. ECTOPISTES, Swainson. Passenger Pigeons. 



1. E. macrura, (L.) Sw. Wild Pigeon. Bluish with 

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

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



2. ZENAIDURA, 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. 6|. U. S., abundant. 



3. CHAM/EPELIA, Swainson. Ground Doves. 



1. .C passerina, (L.) Sw. Ground Dove. Grayish 

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

 N. to Washington, D.C. 



