Fig. 1. Turtur suratcnsis. 



Order XII. COLUMB^E. 



There is no doubt that Pigeons and Doves must be regarded as 

 forming an Order by themselves. That they are more nearly allied 

 to the Sandgrouse than to any other birds is generally acknow- 

 ledged, but the differences between the two groups are quite as 

 great as those between spme of the other orders here admitted. 

 In some recent classifications the Pigeons have been placed near 

 the Passerine birds chiefly on account of the newly-hatched young 

 being helpless and naked, but this character by itself is of secondary 

 importance, and the anatomy* of the Coluinbce as a whole, as 

 Huxley has shown, resembles that of Gallinaceous birds, tho'ugh 

 differing in many respects and showing certain affinities to the 

 Owls and Vultures (P. Z. S. 1867, p. 4(30). 



YOL. IT. 



