2136 



PIGEONS AND SAND GROUSE 



WOOD, LONG-TAILED, AND PASSENGER PIGEONS 

 Family 



This family may be distinguished from the green pigeons and their allies by 

 having the soles of the feet normal, that is, not very broad, and only the hind-toe 

 with the skin prominently expanded on the sides. It is split up into three groups, 

 the first being the Columbines, in which the tail is never longer than the wings; 

 this group containing the wood pigeon, stock dove, and rock dove, from the last 

 named of which the domestic breeds of pigeon are derived. Of the first genus, 



ROCK DOVE. 

 (One-third natural size.) 



Gymnophaps, only one species (G. albertisi) peculiar to New Guinea is known, 

 which is distinguished from the allied genera by having the legs feathered for 

 two-thirds of their length, and a naked carmine space in front of and round the 

 eyes. 



We come next to the large and universally distributed genus, Col- 

 umba, containing about sixty species. All these birds resemble the 

 two following genera in never having the legs feathered for more than 

 half their length, while they differ in having the first flight feather of the wing 



Rock Dove and 

 Allies 



