210 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 
OrpvEr COLUMB.—Tue Pictons. (age 2) 
Families. 
(Characters same as those given for the Order).. Columbidze. (Page 210.) 
Famity COLUMBIDAE.—Tue Pictons or Doves. (Page 210.) 
(Nest a flat frail platform of sticks, straws, ete., usually in trees. Zggs 2, plain 
white or buffy white.) 
Genera. 
a, Tarsus shorter than lateral toes. (Subfamily Columbine.) 
6. Tail much shorter than wing, slightly rounded, the feathers broad and 
rounded, or nearly truncated, at tips...........06 Columba. (Page 211.) 
bo. Tail nearly as long as wing, graduated, the feathers narrow and pointed at 
TipBcccei sevens vadeceausyenirenany eceescateseesesseasteees Ectopistes. (Page 212.) 
a, Tarsus longer than lateral toes. (Subfamily Zenaidine.) 
b'. Front of tarsus covered by transverse scutelle. 
ce. Wing more than 5.00. 
@, Terminal portion of outer quill abruptly narrowed. 
Leptotila. (Page 214.) 
@. Terminal portion of outer quill not narrowed. 
e'. Outer webs of only second and third quills very slightly sinu- 
ated (sinuation scarcely perceptible). 
f'. Tail-feathers 12; tail rounded, less than three-fourths as 
long as wing, the feathers broad and rounded at tips. 
g. Culmen longer than lateral toes, without claws; tail 
nearly three-fourths as long as wing; a white 
patch covering larger wing-coverts. 
Melopelia. (Page 214.) 
g°. Culmen shorter than lateral toes, without claws; tail 
barely more than two-thirds as long as wing; no 
white patch on wing-coverts. 
Zenaida. (Page 213.) 
f’. Tail-feathers 14; tail graduated, usually more than three- 
fourths (always more than two-thirds) as long as 
wing, the feathers more or less narrowed at tips. 
Zenaidura. (Page 212.) 
e*. Outer webs of second to fifth quills, inclusive, distinctly sinu- 
ated ; tail less than two-thirds as long as wing. 
Geotrygon. (Page 216.) 
