24 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE 11IRDS. 



are greatly graduated. A few genera are terrestrial, but most of them 

 are more or less arboreal and generally capable of strong, swift, and 

 sustained flight. Their food is largely grain and small seeds; the larger 

 species feed on the fruits of trees, rarely on the leaves. The nest is a 

 slight structure of twigs placed on the ground, in a shrub, or in a tall tnv. 

 Eggs one or two, pure white or slightly cream-colored ; in shape rather 

 long, equal ended, ovals. 



Suborder COLUMB^]. 



('liaracters same as those given for the Order. 



Families. 



a 1 . Soles very broad; tarsus stout, more or less feathered, and generally shorter 

 than middle toe without claw. 



6 1 . Nostril coverings flat or but slightly .swollen Treronidae (p. 24) 



6 Z . Nostril coverings swollen forming a grape-seed shaped prominence on each 



side of culnien Columbidae (p. 51) 



a a . Soles not greatly expanded on sides of toes; tarsus more slender, unfeathered, 

 and longer than middle toe without claw Peristeridae (p. 54) 



Family TRERONID^. 



Soles very broad ; tarsus stout, more or less feathered ; bill stout or 

 large; gape very wide in some; nostril covering flat or somewhat swollen; 

 tail moderate in length, nearly square ; medium to large sized species. 



Subfamilies. 



</'. Under tail-coverts long, their tips reaching well beyond toes; size generally 



smaller; length, 340 mm. or less. 



fe 1 . First primary not attenuated; third primary scooped on middle of inner 

 web, except in I'hapitreron which has mostly brown plumage. 



Treroninae (p. 24) 



6 2 . First primary abruptly attenuated, except in Spilotreron which has mostly 



green plumage; third primary normal Ptilopodinae (p. 36) 



a' J . Under tail-coverts moderate, their tips reaching little if any beyond to.---. 

 size generally larger; length, 360 mm. or more Muscadivorinae (p. 42) 



Subfamily TRERONINAE. 

 Genera. 



a 1 . General color green or greenish yellow; rectrices fourteen, under coverts usually 

 equal to or longer than shortest rectrix; third primary deeply scooped near 

 middle of inner web. 



ft 1 . Horny nail of bill reaching feathers of forehead Treron (p. 25) 



6 a . Horny nail of bill not reaching feathers of forehead. 



c 1 . Tail slightly graduated; under tail-coverts broadly streaked, the shafts 



black Sphenocercus (p. 26) 



c 3 . Tail square; under tail-coverts not streaked, the shafts of the same color 



as the webs Osmotreron (p. 26) 



a a . General color brown; rectrices twelve, under coverts shorter than shortest 

 rectrix; third primary not scooped Phapitreron (p. 29) 



