254 AVES : COLUMBiE. — XL. 



etc.), the others usually not webbed. Tarsus mostly scutellate in 

 front, elsewhere reticulate, the plates soft. Head small, skull 

 sehizognathous, the nasal bones schizorhinous ; basipterygoids 

 present. Plumage soft, compact, the feathers very loosely inserted. 

 Altricial ; monogamous. 



A small order, including some extinct forms, closely related to 

 the Gallince. The principal family is the Columbidce. 



Families of Columbae. 

 a. Wings and tail well developed Columbid.*:, 151. 



Family CLI. COLUMBID^. (The Pigeons.) 



Wings long, pointed; tail never forked, of 12 or 14 feathers; 

 plumage compact, the feathers loosely inserted. Species about 

 300, found in most regions, but most abundant in the East Indies. 

 Besides the following, quite a number of pigeons occur in the 

 Southern States. The common tame dove (Coluniba cenas L.) is a 

 fair type of the family. 



a. Tarsus feathered at the suffrage, shorter than the lateral toes. (Columbina.) 



b. Tail very long, wedge-shaped, of 12 pointed feathers. Ectopistes, 411. 



aa. Tarsus entirely bare, scutellate, longer than the lateral toes. (Zenaidiiwe.) 



c. Tail long, pointed, of 14 pointed feathers, its length more than § wing. 



Zenaidura, 412. 

 cc. Tail short, rounded, of 12 broad feathers ; less than S wing. 



COLUMBIGALLINA, 413. 



411. ECTOPISTES Swainson. (cKrojno-njs, wanderer.) 



798. E. migratorius (L.). Wild Pigeon. Passenger 

 Pigeon. Bluish drab, with reddish and violet tinges, reddish 

 below; $ more reddish. L. 17. W. 7^. T. 8. E. N. A., 

 abundant; gregarious. 



412. ZENAIDXIRA Bonaparte. (.Z^enmrfa, a related genus ; oupa, 

 tail; Zenaida was named for Madame Zenaida Bonaparte.) 



799. Z. macroura (L.). Mourning Dove. Turtle Dove. 

 Carolina Dove. Brownish olive, glossed with blue and wine 

 color ; plumage with metallic lustre ; a dark ear spot ; outer tail 

 feathers with white ; $ duller. L. 12. W. 5|. T. 6|. K.Am., 

 N. to Canada, very abundant, feeding on the ground, its mournful 

 note not an index to its merry disposition, (fiaxpoy, large ; ovpa, 

 tail.) 



413. COLUMBIGALLINA Boie. (Lat., coZumJa, pigeon ; 

 gallina, hen.) 



800. C. passerina (L.). Ground Dove. Grayish olive, with 

 bluish gloss; the head, breast, etc., wine-color in ^. L. 6^. W. 



