COLUMBID2E THE PIGEONS. 495 



"The wing has ten primaries, and eleven or twelve, rarely fifteen, 

 secondaries ; the latter broad, truncate, and of nearly equal length. 

 The tail is rounded or cuneate, never forked. 



"The tarsus is usually short, rarely longer than the middle toe, 

 scutellate anteriorly, [except in Starnosnas] and with hexagonal plates 

 laterally and behind ; sometimes naked. An inter-digital membrane 

 is either wanting entirely, or else is very slightly indicated between 

 the middle and outer toes." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



The two principal groups of American Columbida, which for con- 

 venience may be termed subfamilies, may be briefly distinguished 

 as follows: 



Columbinae. Tarsus shorter than the lateral toes, feathered above. 

 Zenaidinae. Tarsus longer than the lateral toes, entirely bare of feathers. 



The North American genera (but two of which come within the 

 field of this work) are characterized as below, the extralimital 

 genera being in brackets : 



SUBFAMILY Columbinae. 



CHAE. Tarsi stout, short, with transverse scutellse anteriorly ; feathered for the basal 

 third above, but not at all behind. Toes lengthened, the lateral decidedly longer than 

 the tarsus. Wings lengthened and pointed. Size large. Tail-feathers twelve. 

 [1. Columba. Head large; tail short, broad, and rounded.] 

 2. Ectopistes. Head very small; tail much lengthened, cuneate. 



SUBFAMILY Zenaidinee. 



CHAB. Tarsi stout, lengthened; always longer than the lateral toes, and entirely with- 

 out feathers; the tibial joint usually denuded. Tarsus sometimes with hexagonal scales 

 anteriorly. Tail-feathers sometimes fourteen. 



a. Zenaidece. Size moderate. Wings lengthened, acute, the primaries much longer 

 than the secondaries. Tarsus scutellate anteriorly. A blackish spot beneath 

 the auriculars (except in Engyptila); tail-feathers tipped with white, and with, 

 a blackish subterminal bar. Sides of the neck with a metallic gloss. 

 [3. Engyptila. Outer primary abruptly attenuated terminally . Color plain grayish 

 brown above, lighter and (usually) more vinaceous below; under side of wing 

 mainly rufous.] 



[4. Melopelia. Bill lengthened, much depressed. A white patch on the wing; no black 

 spots on the scapulars; plumage ashy, lighter beneath. Tail of twelve feathers, 

 rounded.] 



