254 AVES: COLUMBiE, — XL. 



etc.), the others usually not webbed. Tar.sus mostly scutellate in 

 front, el.sewhere reticulate, the plates soft. Head small, skull 

 schizognathous, the nasal bones schizorhinous ; basipterygoids 

 present. Plumage soft, compact, the feathers very loosely inserted. 

 Altricial; monogamous. 



A small order, including some extinct forms, closely related to 

 the GaUincc. The principal family is the ColunibidcB. 



Families of Columbse. 

 a. Winps and tail well developed CoLUMBin.ii, 151. 



Family CLI. COLUMBID^. (The Pigeons.) 



Wings long, pointed; tail never forked, of 12 or 14 feathers; 

 plumage comj)act, the feathers loosely inserted. Species about 

 300, found in most regions, but most abundant in the East Indies. 

 Besides the following, quite a number of pigeons occur in the 

 Southern States. The common tame dove (Columba oenas L.) is a 

 fair type of the family. 



a. Tarsus feathered at the suffrago, shorter than the lateral toes. (Columbin(t.) 



b. Tail very lonp, wedge-shaped, of 12 pointed feathers. Ectopistes, 411. 



aa. Tarsus entirely hare, scutellate, longer than the lateral toes. {ZenaidincB.) 



c. Tail long, pointed, of 14 pointed feathers, its length more than i wing. 



Zenaiuuka, 412. 

 cc. Tail short, rounded, of 12 broad feathers; less than-! wing. 



COLUMBIGALLINA, 413. 



411. ECTOPISTES Swainson. (ticTmri(rrfis, wanderer.) 



79.S. E. migratorius (L.). Wild Pigkon. Passkxgkr 

 Pigeon, liluish drab, with reddish and violet tinges, reddish 

 below; ^ more reddish. L. 17. W. 7^. T. 8. E. N. A., 

 abundant; gregarious. 



412. ZENAIDURA Houaparte. (ZrnaiV/a, a related genus; oupa, 

 tail ; Zititiiilii was named for Madame Zcnaida Bonaparte.) 



791). Z. macroura (L.). Mourning Dove. Turtle Dove. 

 C.MioMN.v Dove. Brownish olive, glossed with blue and wine 

 color ; plumages with metallic lustre ; a dark ear spot ; outer tail 

 f.-athrrs with white; 9 duller. L. 12. W. 5J. T. 6J. N.Am., 

 N to Canada, very abundant, feeding on the ground, its mournful 

 note not an index to its merrv <lisjM)sition. (/xaKpdr, large ; oi'pn, 

 tail.) 



413. COLUMBIGALLINA Boie. (Lat., columbn. pigeon ; 

 (jiillind. hen.) 



800. C. passcrina (L.). Tiroini) Dovk. (irayish olivr, with 

 bluish gloss; the head, breast, etc, wiue-color iu ^. L. *'>\. W. 



