256 BIKDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



half black, the other half cinereous white. Length, 11*; 

 wing, 7" 3'" ; tail, 4" 2'". 



Le Vaillant states that he discovered his " Colombar " in Namaqua- 

 land ; Sundevall shows that he has taken his figure and description 

 from Treron Abyssinica, which is not found in South Africa, but is 

 replaced by the first species, T. Delalandi, which is found in Kaffra- 

 ria. I have before me a specimen of the true Abyssinica, one of 

 Delalandi from KafFraria, and another from Damaraland, T. Australis. 

 This latter may be the species seen by Le Valliant, and \vhich he has 

 confounded with A byssinica. 



The Sub-Family, COLUMBINE, or Pigeons, 



have the bill moderate, slender, with the basal portion covered 

 with a soft humid skin, and the apical part hard, slightly 

 vaulted, and acute at the tip ; the nostrils forming a longi- 

 tudinal slit in the fore part of the soft basal portion of the 

 bill ; the wings moderate and pointed ; the tail of various 

 lengths, and generally rounded ; the tarsi generally short ; 

 the toes lengthened ; the lateral ones mostly equal, and the 

 hind toe about the length of the tarsus. 



Genus COLUMBA, Linn. 



Bill moderate, straight, the basal half of the culmen 

 covered with a soft cartilaginous substance, the apical half 

 hard, arched and hooked to the tip, which is somewhat com- 

 pressed ; the nostrils placed towards the middle of the bill, 

 above which the skin is swollen ; wings moderate and point- 

 ed, with the first quill shorter than the second, which is the 

 longest ; tail rather short, even, or rather rounded at its 

 end ; tarsi very short, and moderate ; toes moderate, and free 

 at their base, with the lateral ones equal, and the claws short, 

 strong, and curved. 



505. Columba Guinese. (Lin.) Temm. Pig., t. 16; 



Le Hamier Eoussard, Le Vaill., No. 265 ; Cuv., Vol. 



3, p. 79 ; Columba Trigonigera, Wagler. Nat. Lib., Vol. 



8, p. 212 ; Bosch-Duif or Wilde-Duif of Colonists. 

 HEAD, body beneath, rump, wings, and basal two- thirds of 

 tail, on upper side, cinereous, or plumbeus ; back, shoulders, 

 'and wing-coverts, vinaceous, the latter with numerous trian- 

 gular white spots, which also appear on some of the cinereous 

 feathers of the wings; feathers of neck and breast, ruddy 

 vinaceous; each feather being bifid at the tip, stiff, and 

 inclined to cinereous, with a glossy green tint ; apical third 



