58 RASORES. 



Their internal structure also closely assimilates 

 with that of the true gallinaceous birds, and in 

 the group taken together, we find many foreign 

 species, which, by their forms or manners, run 

 very closely into genera that meet them from 

 other families. There is one peculiarity, how- 

 ever, by which they differ, we believe, from all 

 the Rasores, that of their young being produced 

 unfledged,* and requiring care and attention be- 

 fore leaving the nest ; this is their nearest tie to 

 the Incessores, and we are not at present aware 

 of any example among that order, where the 

 young are even partially clothed with down, or 

 run soon after exclusion from the egg.f 



Britain possesses examples of three genera, one 

 of them, however, resting on the capture of one, 

 or at most two specimens. 



COLUMBA Generic character. Bill of mean 

 strength, anteriorly deflected, maxilla with 

 a slight angle ; nostrils nearly linear, widest 

 anteriorly and covered with a soft protube- 

 rant cartilage; tarsi short, partly feathered 

 in front; toes entirely divided, hind toe of 



* Some of the Cracidce breed on trees ; but we believe that 

 here the young are covered, with down, and are almost imme- 

 diately transported to the ground. In the genus Penelope, 

 the young are like the typical species. 



+ Mr. Gould has mentioned a species of Cindosoma from 

 Australia, which breeds on or near the ground, and the young 

 of which, he understood, left the nest at a very early period. 



