THE 



GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



OF 



THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



Order GOLUMBIFORMES. 



Family COLUMBID^ or PIGEONS. 



The Pigeons are a well-defined and important group of birds, 

 closely allied to the Game Birds (through the Sand Grouse) and 

 the Plovers. Their sternum contains two notches on each side of 

 the posterior margin, the interior pair being small, the exterior 

 pair wide and deep. In the modification of their cranial bones 

 they are schizognathous ; nasals schizorhinal. In their pterylosis, 

 myology, and digestive organs they show considerable affinity with 

 the Plovers and the Game Birds. 



The external characteristics of the Pigeons are : first, their 

 Plover-like bill, covered at the base with soft skin, and in which 

 the nostrils are placed ; second, the small hind toe ; third, their 

 dense, compact plumage. Primaries ten in number ; rectrices 

 variable in this respect. Moult double; young born blind, but 

 clothed with thin yellow down. 



Number about 350 species ; cosmopolitan, except in the 

 Arctic regions ; most abundant in Australian region. 



B 



