CHAPTER IV. 



FIFTH ORDER. COLUMBJE. 



"AN essential character," says Dr. Coues, "of birds of 

 this order, is seen in the structure of the bill : horny and con- 

 vex at the tip, somewhat contracted in the continuity, fur- 

 nished at the base with a soft swollen membrane in which the 

 nostrils open. There are four toes, three anterior, generally 

 cleft, but occasionally with a slight basal web, and one be- 

 hind, with a few exceptions perfectly insistent or not obviously 

 elevated. The feet are never lengthened ; the tarsus is com- 

 monly shorter than the toes, either scutellate or extensively 

 feathered anteriorly, reticulate on the sides and behind, the 

 envelope rather membranous than corneous. The plumage 

 is destitute of aftershafts." As this order in North America 

 is represented by but one family, the well-known Pigeons 

 (including the Doves), it is unnecessary to detail further its 

 peculiar features. The two species of New England are ex- 

 cellent types. Their habit, however, of feeding their young 

 by regurgitation from the crop may here be remarked. 



The true "Game-birds" (Chapter V) all belong to the 

 subclass Oursores, or "terrestrial birds," and to the two 

 orders, Gallincs and Grallatores. The Gallince include the 

 Grouse, with the tarsi more or less feathered, and the Par- 

 tridges or Quail, with naked tarsi. Dr. Coues ranks these as 

 subfamilies, dividing our species into Tetraonince, or true 

 Grouse, and Odontophorince^ or American Partridges. The 

 Grallatores include the Snipe and Woodcock, who both belong 

 to the same family of the suborder Limicolce or Shore-birds. 

 (It may be added that the Odontophorince^ or Ortygince, are 

 usually ranked as subfamilies of the Perdicidce, or Par- 

 tridges, while the Grouse are ranked separately as Tetraoni- 



