444 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



I have selected MacGillivray's name for the order ; its termina- 

 tion being conformable with that of the other orders. 



Pigeons may be divided into the following families: — 

 1. Treronidce, fruit eating or Tree Pigeons ; 2. Columbidce, 

 ordinary Pigeons and Doves, feeding partly on the ground and 

 partly on trees ; 3. Gouridce, or ground Pigeons ; and 4. 

 Didanculidce, consisting of a single form, to which perhaps ought to 

 be added the Dididce, founded for the extinct Dodo. Gray divides 

 them, as I have done here, but, making the whole order of one 

 family only, Columbidce, our families are by him arranged as 

 sub- families. 



Bonaparte adds another, Calcenidce, separated from Gouridce, 

 and founded on the Nicobar Ground-pigeon ; and latterly, he 

 restricted Gouridce to the gigantic Crowned Pigeons of New 

 Guinea. 



Fam. Treronidce. 



Bill varied, short and thick in some, slender in others, the tip 

 strong and vaulted ; wings long, firm ; the tail short or moderate 

 in most, always of fourteen feathers ; tarsus short, more or less 

 feathered, the bare portion reticulated ; inner toe a little shorter 

 than the outer, which is slightly united at the base to the middle 

 toe ; claws short, well curved. 



The Fruit-pigeons vary greatly in size, some of them being very 

 large, others minute ; and they also differ much in the strength of 

 the bill. The wings of all are strong and firm, and their flight 

 vigorous and rapid. The tail is broad, and, in almost all, consisting 

 of fourteen feathers. They are exclusively frugivorous, and are 

 found chiefly in India, including Malayana and Australia (with 

 Oceanica), a very few occurring in Africa. They may be sub- 

 divided into the following sub-families : — 



1st. — Treronince, Green Pigeons. 



2?ul. — Carpophagince, Imperial Pigeons. 



ord. — Ptilopodince, Green Doves. 



Sub-farn. Treroninjs, Green Pigeons. 

 Bill stronger and thicker than in the two other sub-families ; tail 

 typically short: tarsi and feet stout, soft, with very broad soles. 



