BIRDS. 



ORDER 

 COLUMBINI. 



Rostrum mediocre^ compressum, basi mcmbrand molli et tumidd in- 



structum, ad apicem plus minusve arcuatuni. 

 Pedet simpliccs, tetradactylijissi, digitis tribus anticis, uno pos- 



tico: tarsi reticulati. 

 Beak, middle sized, compressed, the base covered with a soft 



and tumid membrane, the tip more or less arcuated. 

 Feet simple, consisting of four divided toes, three in front, and 



one behind : tarsi reticulated. 



COLUMBA. PIGEON. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum mediorre, fere rec- 

 tum, compressiusculum et 

 arcuatuni: mandibula su- 

 periore basi membrana 

 molli et tumida, in qua 

 nares sitae sunt. 



Pedes fissi, digitis tribus an- 

 ticis, uno postico. 



Alee aut breves aut mediocres. 



Cauda aequalis aut cuneata. 



Beak middle sized, nearly 

 straight, compressed and 

 bent ; the upper mandible 

 with a soft and tumid mem- 

 brane at its 'base, in which 

 the nostrils are situated. 



Feet divided, with three toes 

 before, and one behind. 



Wings short or middling. 



Tail equal or wedged. 



C^OLUMBA, auctorum. The Pigeons form a 

 most elegant genus of birds, and are most ex- 

 quisitely figured and described by Temminck in 

 his admirable Histoire Naturelle generate des Pi- 



v. xi. p. i. 



