A FUGHT OF PIGEONS. 



CHAPTER XVI 

 THE PIGEONS AND SAND GROUSE ORDER COLUMB/E 



THE pigeons form such a well-marked group that there is but little difficulty in 

 recognizing any of their numerous representatives at a glance. In all, the 

 moderately-large head is set on a graceful neck, and the body is rather compact and 

 stoutly built. Swollen at the extremity, the beak has its basal portion covered with 

 a soft skin, in which open the nostrils. The legs are coated with hexagonal scales, 

 and are usually more or less thickly feathered on the upper part, although some- 

 times naked; the feet have four toes, the first of which is placed on the same level 

 as the others. With the exception of the ground doves, in which the wings are 

 short and rounded, most of the living species have long, powerful quill feathers, but 

 the dodo and solitaire were incapable of flight. As regards osteological character- 

 istics the pigeons have a cleft (schizognathous) palate, in which respect they and 

 the sand grouse differ from all the preceding groups; the upper bone of the wing or 

 humerus is provided with a triangular deltoid crest, very similar to that of the sand 

 grouse, to which is attached the great pectoral muscle, thus rendering these birds 

 capable of protracted and powerful flight. The majority of the pigeons are indeed 

 excellent flyers, capable of traversing enormous distances in an incredibly short 

 time; as an example of which we may mention the performances of the carrier 

 pigeons. All pigeons are provided with a large crop, which becomes glandular dur- 

 '34 (2129) 



