COLUMBID^ — THE PIGEONS. 357 



Family COLUMBID-ffi. — The Pigeons. 



Char. The basal portion of the bill covered by a soft skin, in which are situated the 

 nostrils, overhung by an incumbent fleshy valve, the apical portion hard and convex. 

 The hirld toe on the same level with the rest; the anterior toes without membrane at the 

 base. Tarsi more or less naked ; covered laterally and behind with hexagonal scales. 



The bill of the Columlidce is always shorter than the head, thinnest in the 

 middle ; the basal half covered by a soft skin ; the apical portion of both jaws 

 hard ; the upper one very convex, blunt, and broad at the tip, where it is 

 also somewhat decurved. There is a long nasal groove, the posterior portion 

 occupied by a cartilaginous scale, covered by a soft cere-like skin. The nos- 

 trils constitute an elongated slit in the lower border of the scale. The cul- 

 men is always depressed and convex. The bill is never notched in the true 

 Doves, though Didunculus shows well-defined serrations. The tongue is 

 small, soft, and somewhat fleshy. 



The wing has ten primaries, and eleven or twelve, rarely fifteen, seconda- 

 ries ; the fatter broad, truncate, and of nearly equal length. The tail is 

 rounded or cuneate, never forked. 



The tarsus is usually short, rarely longer than the middle toe, scutellate 

 anteriorly, and with hexagonal plates laterally and behind; sometimes 

 naked. An inter-digital membrane is either wanting entirely, or else is 

 very slightly indicated between the middle and outer toes. 



The valuable monograph of Bonaparte in the second part of Conspectus 

 Avium renders the task of arranging the American ColumUdm in proper 

 sequence and of determining their synonomy comparatively easy. He 

 divides the family into Lopholmmince, ColumUnce, Turturinm, Zcnaidince, and 

 Fhapince, the second and fourth alone occurring in North America. They 

 may be briefly distinguished as follows : — 



Columbine. Tarsus shorter than the lateral toe ; feathered above. 

 Zenaidinse. Tarsus longer than the lateral toes; entirely bare of feathers. 



Subfamily COLUMBIN.^. 



Char. Tarsi stout, short, with transverse scutelte anteriorly ; feathered for the basal 

 third above, but not at all behind. Toes lengthened, the lateral decidedly longer than 

 the tarsus. Wings lengthened and pointed. Size large. Tail-feathers twelve. 



This section of doves embraces the largest North American species, and 

 amono- them the more arboreal ones. The genera are as follows : — 



^o 



Columba. Head large ; tail short, broad, and rounded. 



Outer toe much longer than the inner; bill rather short, stout . Columha. 



Outer toe scarcely longer than the inner ; bill lengthened, compressed Patagioenas. 

 Ectopistes. Head very small ; tail much lengthened, cuneate. 



