AVES. 439 



short, plumed below the heel. Middle toe much longer thau lateral 

 toes; latei-al toes subequal. Wings with third and fourth quills 

 longest of all. Tail even, broad. 



Sp. Colwmba cenea L., Bdff. PI. enl. 164; — Columha janthina Temm. PI. col. 

 503; — Col. magnifica Temm. PI. col. 163; — Columha myrlsticivora Scop., 

 Columha littoralis Temm., Sonner. Voi/. a la Nouv. Gum. PI. 103. A 

 numerous sub-genus of mostly large species, all from the islands of the 

 Indian and South Pacific Seas, or from New Holland. 



Ptilonopus Swains., Gray. Bill short, slender, with tip incras- 

 sate. Tarsi short, plumed. Outer toe longer. Wings with thii-d 

 quill longest. Tail moderate, even or subrounded. 



Sp. Columha porphyrea Ebinw., Temm., Col. roseicollis Wagl., Temm. PI. 

 col. 106, Ctjv. R. Ani., ed. ill., Ois. PI. 66, fig. 3; — Columha viricUs L., 

 Buff, PL enl. 142, Etdoux et Gervais, Guer. Magas. de Zool. 1836, 

 Ois. PI. 76, &o. 



The species of this sub-genus are from the Moluccan Archipelago, the 

 islands of the South Pacific and from New Holland ; they are smaller than 

 those of the preceding sub-genus and mostly very beautifully coloured, 

 green with yellow and often with purple or violet head. They resemble in 

 these colours the parrots rather than the rest of the pigeons, as do also 

 many species of the following sub-genus. 



Vinago Cuv., Treron Yieill., Gray. Bill hard, strong, moderate, 

 curved, often with tip of upper mandible produced. Wings with 

 second and third quills subequal, third in most the longer. Tarsi 

 short, covered with plumes below the heel. Tail even or rounded, 

 in a few cuneate. 



Sp. Columha vernans Gm., Buff. PI. enl. 138; — Columha ahyssinica Lath., 

 Less. Orniih. PI. 80, fig. i; — Columha Capellei Temm. PI. col. 143, (the 

 largest of the known species). These birds also are mostly*coloured green, 

 but of a duller cast, like Fringilla chloris; they are found in tropical 

 countries of the eastern hemisphere. Of the species with elongated tail- 

 feathers Swainson forms the sub-genus Sphenwus. 



Didunculus Peale, Gray, Gnathodon Jardine. Bill moderate, 

 thick, depressed at the base, curved, with tip hooked, sharp; lower 

 mandible with tip trmicate, tridentate on each side before the tip, 

 with angle somewhat prominent. Nostrils linear, oblique, sur- 

 rounded by membrane at the sides of mandible. Region round the 

 orbits denuded. Tarsi equalling middle toe; toes elongate, the 

 lateral equal. Wings tuberculate, concave, with quills pointed, 

 the second, third, and fourth longest of all. Tail somewhat short, 

 rounded. 



