VINA GO. 



93 



brane so conspicuous in the common 

 pigeon and its congeners. The legs 

 are very short and partly clothed with 

 feathers helow the tarsal joint; the 

 feet are formed expressly for perch- 

 ing or grasping; the sole, or that part 

 of the foot which rests immediately 

 upon the branch, being greatly en- 

 larged by the extension of the mem- 

 brane, giving it a firm base of sup- 

 port ; the exterior toe is longer than 

 the inner, and the claws are very 

 strong, sharp, and semicircular, close- 

 f ly resembling in form those of the 

 woodpecker or other scansorial birds. 

 The wings are of mean length, but 

 strong and pointed, the second and 

 third quill-feathers being nearly equal, 

 and the longest in each wing. 



In all the species submitted to ex- 

 amination, the third quill has the cen- 

 tral part of the inner web deeply 

 notched, as if a piece had been cut 

 out, as represented in the wood-cut 

 annexed. This particular character 

 is confined to the genus, but many 

 other members of the Columbidse 

 possess peculiarities as striking in 

 the form of the first and other quill- 

 feathers, which, as modifications of 



