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NATURAL HISTORY. 



THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE PIGEONS. THE COLUMBID^E, OE TRUE PIGEONS. 

 In this large family the bulk of the Pigeons, some four hundred in number, are located. All of 

 them have the nostrils narrow in. shape and situated close to the cutting edge of the mandible, with 

 which they run parallel. On the upper part of the bill there is a convex soft skin, which forms a 

 tubercle. Sundevall divides the true Pigeons into four divisions; in the first are included all the 

 Fruit Pigeons, which are inhabitants of the tropical portion of the Old World, and whose prevailing 

 style of colour is green. They all have the tarsus shorter than the middle toe. There are two sub- 

 divisions of the Fruit Pigeons; 

 in the first the bill is stouter 

 than the tarsus, and in this divi- 

 sion are found all the Green Fruit 

 Pigeons, of which writes Dr. 

 Jerdon * : " The Green Pigeons 

 are a well-marked division, all 

 having a mai-ked physiognomy, 

 by which they can be recognised 

 at a glance. They are of tolerably 

 stout and massive form, and of a 

 dull leaf-green colour, more or 

 less varied with ashy and marone 

 above, with yellow on the wings, 

 and with orange or buff beneath. 

 The eyes of most are very beau- 

 tiful, being blue with a red outer 

 circle. They are more or less 

 gregarious, according to the 

 species. When hunting for fruit 

 they are continually gliding about 

 the branches, like Squirrels ; and 

 from their strong feet they can 

 hang over to seize a fruit, and 

 recover their position at once by 

 the strong muscles of their legs. 

 When perfectly quiet they are 

 very difficult to observe, from the 

 similarity of their tints to that 

 of leaves. They nidificate on 

 trees, making a loose nest of 

 twigs, and laying two white eggs. 

 A few are found in Africa and Madagascar, but the majority are denizens of India and Malay ana, 

 not extending as far as Australia ; but one species at least occurring as high north as Japan, 

 although they appear to be rare in China. They all afford excellent eating, but the skin is very 

 tough and thick, and ought to be removed." 



In the present section also occur the beautiful Ptilopi, which are distributed in great numbers 

 over the islands of the Malay Archipelago, Australia, and Oceania, as well as the large Imperial 

 Pigeons called Carpophaga, which have a similar distribution to the Ptilopi, with the exception, that 

 they extend into the Indian peninsula. " These Pigeons are of very large size, and adorned in many 

 cases with rich and metallic colours, with the lower parts usually pale and glossless. The tarsus is 

 very short and the feet broad, enabling them to grasp the branches well. The forehead is low in its 

 profile, and the feathers advance on the soft portion of the bill. Their gape is wide, and they are 

 enabled to swallow very large fruit ; and the feathered portion of the chin advances far towards the 



* "Birds of India," Vol. III., p. 445. 



KING DOVE, OR WOOD PIGEON. 



