Order IT. COLUMBJ1 



THE Fourth Order, COLUMBJE, is composed of those birds 

 only which are well known under the denomination of 

 Pigeons ; and as it embraces but one family, the characters 

 will be given under it. 



The Family OOLUMBID^El, or Pigeons, 



have the bill short, straight, compressed, with the apical 

 half of the mandibles more or less vaulted and strong, and 

 the base more or less weak, and covered by a soft fleshy 

 membrane, in which are placed the nostrils ; the wings 

 moderate ; the tarsi more or less long, and robust ; the toes 

 lengthened, divided, and padded beneath. 



The Sub-Family, TRERONIN^S, or Tree- 

 Pigeons, 



have the bill short, with the ends of both mandibles vaulted, 

 and of nearly equal thickness ; the tarsi very short, and more 

 or less feathered ; the toes divided at the base, the inner 

 much shorter than the outer ; and the claws short and 

 curved. 



Genus TRERON, Vieillot. 



Bill short, robust, with the tips of both mandibles much 

 vaulted, especially that of the upper : the basal portion de- 

 pressed and straight ; the nostrils lateral, and longitudinal ; 

 wings moderate and pointed, with the second and third quills 

 nearly equal, and longest; the third quill with the inner 

 web notched near the middle ; tail moderate, rounded, some- 

 times lengthened and wedge-shaped ; tarsi very short, thick, 

 and feathered below the knee ; toes free at the base, the 

 inner shorter than the outer, the hind toe long and broad ; 

 and the claws moderate, compressed, and arched. 



