72 ^ CLASS AVES. 



borders. Their tail has twelve quills. They fly 

 well ; live at all times monogamously ; build in 

 trees or the clefts of rocks, and lay but a small 

 number of eggs, in general two, though it is true 

 that they repeat their laying. The male sits on the 

 eggs as well as the female. They feed their young 

 with the macerated grains, which they bring up 

 from the crop. Only one genus of them is made, 

 though it has been attempted to subdivide it into 

 three subgenera, founded on the relative strength 

 of the bill, and proportions of the feet. 



The Gallinaceous Pigeons. Vaill. 



Approximate to the common gallinaceous birds closer 

 than either of the other subgenera, by their more 

 elevated tarsi, their gregarious habits, and seeking 

 their food on the ground without perching. Their 

 bill is thin and flexible. 



Carunculated Pigeon, Lath. H. C. Carunculata. 

 Tem. PI. lii. Colomhe-galline. VaQl. 278.* 



This species is more particularly allied to the 

 gallinacea by the nudities and caruncles which dis- 

 tinguish the head. 



Great Crowned Pigeon. Lath. Goura. Tem. PI. 

 IL Colornhihocco. Vaill. 278. Col. Coronata. 



* Ash-coloured; belly and rump, white; tail, brown. The female 

 without any caruncle. South Africa. Length, ten inches. 



