COLUMBID*. 



COLUMBID^L 



Tamil also rvcord. UM capture of another .pecimen at Royston, 

 in riiiilni||.ealiir* 



Mr. Selby refer, provisionally OUtmU Cayem*. Auct, 

 aM, Leisaa. and C. >*>, Temnv, to hi* group of 

 sad tniaks tnet by UMa* and eonM other nearly allied form* a paasage 

 to UM not gromp. Pa iHmma, UM Oround-Dovea, i* effected. 



The lef* are cooaiderably longer than in the typical 

 ~ r exceeding the middle toe in length, and 

 or walking than grasping; the claws are 

 < and eligntlv arched. The hallux i* shorter, and it* relative 

 ostttoa illfceal from that of the arboreal species. Their plumage 

 M {il liner and more uniform in tint than that of come of the preced-, 

 iag group*, though it is till brilliant in thoee ipecie* which connect 

 then with other form*. They live almost entirely upon the ground, 

 end many of UM specie, run with great celerity, on which account 

 they have been called Partridge Pigeon*. Their flight, which is 

 umally low, I* *geot*d with greater exertion than that of the pigeon*, 

 and i* never long sustained. (Selby.) 



Mr. Selby observe* that thi* division contain* a great number of 

 'at, and U of opinion that when better investigated it will be 

 I divisible into a variety of minor group* or genera. He place* 

 it Pltaft, Ckamcrptlia, and Pcriitera. Thi* group U dis- 

 " emarginate, and by its tarsi, 

 rith the frontal Kale* divided 



into two eerie*, and the aide* and hinder part reticulated with minute 

 las Another group, he add*, Menu indicated by certain Asiatic 

 species, conspicuous for the rich metallic green of the plumage 

 of their backs, resembling therein come of the Ptilinopina. The 

 tarsi of these are destitute of scale*, except a few indistinct ones in 

 front, just above the toes. The bill is rather long, aad destitute of a 

 notch. They live mostly on the ground, but their flight is powerful. 

 Mr. Selby takes Ctlumta nptrcilioia of Wagler a* the type of this 



long, rather slender ; upper man- 

 dible genUy deflected at the tip, and with the indication of a notch 

 ' Oion. Wi 



tinguiahed by a loafer bill, very faintly ema 

 which we moderately long and naked, with 



rt Mentioned group. 



Pk*F* (Htdbj). Bill moderately 



loans, 

 a* the 



'ing* of mean length ; second and third feathers 

 and nearly equal Tail slightly rounded. Leg* tarsi as long 

 ) middle toe, the front covered with a double row of scale*, sides 

 and back reticulated with small hexagonal scales. Hind toe short ; 

 inner toe ei needing the outer in length. Claws blunt, slightly arched. 

 Type. tWeatia dtmteopten, Latham. C. elegant, Temm. ; and C. picata, 

 "jrler. belong to this group. (Selby.) 



/. otofcosttro. It is the C. fkaieoptera, Latham ; the C. UmachetU 

 of Temminck; Bronxe-Winged Ground Dove. 



Onma4.0ert (H.*r 



boot that of C. <*. Total length about 16 inchea. Bill 

 fc* cap., hardly an inch ; black anteriorly; reddiah 

 nrenead, etripe below UM eye., and throat, white 



' - -T ? wa *usw*nv. wuibV . 



-r-zirriJS* rMUt ' "^^ wiu> d<uk y "* * 



SHMS of aeek bluuhgray ; bottom of neck in front and breast 



purplish-gray. Belly and vent gray, with a pale purple tinge. Back, 

 scapular*, rump, and upper tail-coverta, brown tinged with greeuiah 

 in some light*, the border of each feather paler. Wing-cover* bluiah- 

 gray, but the outer web* of every feather have a large ovate spot, 

 producing various tints of metallic brilliancy according to the direc- 

 tion of the light. Quill* brown above, with the inner surface of the 

 webs, the axillary feathers, and under wing-coverts bordered rather 

 deeply with pale orange-red. Tail (lightly rounded, bluish-gray, with 

 a black band. Leg. red; two rows of scale* in front, the aide* 

 reticulated. 



It is an inhabitant of Australia and islands in the Pacific ; in the 

 neighbourhood of Sydney from September till February. 



It baunU dry and sandy places, whore it is generally seen on the 

 ground, and occasionally perched upon the low branches of shrubs. 

 Vest inartificial, in hole* of low tree* or decayed trunks near the 

 ground, sometimes on it Eggs two, white. Theae birds go in pairs 

 generally; their cooing is loud, and has been compared, when heard at 

 a distance, to the lowing of a cow. 



CliaiHirpflia (Swainson). Bill slender, entire. Wings rounded, the 

 first quill short, third, fourth, and fifth nearly equal and longest ; the 

 web* on both aides slightly emarginate. Tail rounded. Feet rather 

 short ; the sides of the tarsi feathered. Types, Columba pauerina, 

 Linn. ; C. Hfitamota, Temm. (Swainson). 



C. Tatpicoti. It is the Columba Talpicoti of Temminck, the specie* 

 which Mr. Selby considers to be the type. Length 6\ iuches, adult 

 male ; forehead, crown, and nape of neck, ash-gray ; cheeks and throat 

 pinkish-white ; upper plumage entirely brownish-orange, with the 

 exception of a few transverse streaks of black upon the exterior webs 

 of some of the wing-covert, nearest the body ; under plumage deep 

 vinaceous-red ; axillary feathers and part of under wing-coverts black ; 

 tail with the two middle feathers brownish-orange, the remainder 

 brownish-black, with reddish-brown tips, moderately curved ; bill and 

 orbit* bluish-gray ; leg* and toes pale red, the outer side of the tarxiis 

 with a row of small feathers down the line of junction between the 

 acrotarsia and paratarsia; quills broad, the fourth with a large 

 projecting notch towards the middle of the inner web. The female 

 has the crown of the head of a sordid gray ; the upper plumage of a 

 wood-brown, tinged with red ; the scapular and wing-coverts marked 

 as on the male ; under plumage dirty gray, tinged with pale purplish- 

 red. (Selby.) 



-_ 

 . 



Chamaptlia Talpicoti. 



This bird inhabits Brazil, Paraguay, and other di*trictn of South 

 America. It haunt, open grounds near woods, where it roostx and 

 breeds upon the underwood, but never far from the ground, whrrv it 

 is active, and feed* upon the smaller cerealia, berries, 4c. Generally 

 observed in pairs, sometimes in families of four or six, never in large 

 flock*. Does not fly from the face of man, but affects the confines of 

 house* and farm-yards. Easily kept and propagated in aviaries. 



J'rruitra (Swainnon). Bill slender, sub-emarginate. Wings rounded, 

 the fint quill short and abruptly attenuated, second and fifth equal, 

 third and fourth equal and longest Tail rounded. Feet strong, 

 naked, somewhat lengthened ; anterior scales of the tarsi imbricate, 

 lateral Male* none. Type, Culuml,a cinerea, Temm. (Swainson). 



P. tymiMnutria. It is the Cotumba tympanatria of Temminck. 

 Length about 9 inches ; upper plumage brown, slightly tinged with 

 gray on the ueck ; large *poto of shining dark green on the outer webs 

 of three or four of the greater wing-coverts ; middle tail-feathers 

 brown ; the two exterior on each side gray, with a broad black bar 

 near the tip ; inner webs of greater quills deep brown ; forehead, 

 treak over the eye, and under plumage, pure white ; under wing- 

 covert* and aides pale orange-brown ; under tail-coverts brown ; bill 

 and legu gray, the latter with a reddish tinge. 



It inhabit* South Africa, where it is said to haunt woods. The 

 species doe* not seem to be common. 



Otophtiut (Selby). Mr. Selby, speaking of Colwnba cyanocephala, 

 Wagler, Tttrtw Jamaiccniit, Brisson ; Columba carunculata, Wagler ; 

 aud CUttmia Xitobarica, Latham, tWumit* Uallut, Wagler, gays 



