Order lY. COLUMB.E. 



The Fourth Order, Columb^, is composed of those birds 

 only which are well known under the denomination of 

 Pigeons ; and as it embraces but one family, the characters 

 will be given under it. 



The Family OOLUMBIDiE, or Pigeons, 



have the bill short, straight, compressed, with the apical 

 half of the mandibles more or less vaulted and strong, and 

 the base more or less weak, and covered by a soft fleshy 

 membrane, in which are placed the nostrils ; the wings 

 moderate ; the tarsi more or less long, and robust ; the toes 

 lengthened, divided, and padded beneath. 



The -Sub-Family, TRERONIN^, or Tree- 

 Pigeons, 



have the bill short, with the ends of both mandibles vaulted, 

 and of nearly equal thickness ; the tarsi very short, and more 

 or less feathered ; the toes divided at the base, the inner 

 much shorter than the outer ; and the claws short and 

 curved. 



Genus TRERON, VieiUot. 



Bill short, robust, with the tips of both mandibles much 

 vaulted, especially that of the upper : the basal portion de- 

 pressed and straight ; the nostrils lateral, and longitudinal ; 

 wings moderate and pointed, with the second and third quills 

 nearly equal, and longest ; the third quill with the inner 

 web notched near the middle ; tail moderate, rounded, some- 

 times lengthened and wedge*shaped ; tarsi very short, thick, 

 and feathered below the knee ; toes free at the base, the 

 inner shorter than the outer, the hind toe long and broad ; 

 and the claws moderate, compressed, and arched. 



