438 BULLETIN 50, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Genus LEPTOTILA Swainson. 



Leptotila Swainson, Classif. Birds, ii, 1837, 349. (Type, monotypy, P[eristera] 



rufaxilla &e&by=Columba rufaxilla Kichard and Bernard.) 

 Leptoptila (emendation; not Leptoptilos Lesson, 1831 nor Leptoptilus Strickland, 



1841) Gray, List. Gen. Birds, 2d ed., 1841, 75. 

 Leptopila (emendation) Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, iv, no. 35 (Columbae), 1873, 



158. 

 Eomoptila Salvadoki, Atti Roy. Ac. Sci. Torino, vi, 1871, 131. (Type, H. 



decipiens Salva,doti=Leptoptila ochroptera Pelzeln.) 

 flngyptila Stjndevall, Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent., 1873, 156. (New name for 



Leptotila Swainson). 

 JSchmoptila Coues, Bull. U. S. Geol. and Geog. Surv. Terr., iv, no. 1, 1878, 48. 



(Type, Columba jamaicensis Linnaeus.) 



Medium-sized or rather small ground pigeons (length about 210 — 

 331 mm.), with terminal portion of outermost primary abruptly 

 attenuated, tarsus decidedly longer than middle toe (without claw), 

 lateral rectrices tipped with white, without spots on wing-coverts, 

 and with axillars and under wing-coverts cinnamon-rufous. 



Bill relatively small and slender (exposed culmen shorter than 

 lateral toes), its depth through thickest part less than one-third the 

 length of exposed culmen, the contracted basal portion occupying 

 more than half its length. Wing moderately large, moderately con- 

 cave beneath, much, rounded, the longest primaries exceeding distal 

 secondaries by more than length of tarsus; third, third and fourth, 

 or fourth primaries (from outside) longest, the first equal to or 

 shorter than seventh, the outermost strongly bowed or arched, 

 much narrower than the rest, and with the terminal third abruptly 

 attenuated. Tail about two-thirds to three-fourths as long as wing, 

 decidedly to strongly rounded, the rectrices relatively broad and 

 with rounded tips. Tarsus exceeding middle toe (without claw) by 

 one-fifth to one-fourth its length, rather slender, the acrotarsium 

 covered with a single series of broad transverse scutella, the acro- 

 tarsium smooth; tibio-tarsal joint and lower portion of tibia entirely 

 naked; lateral toes decidedly shorter than middle toe, the inner with 

 claw reaching to or slightly beyond base of middle claw, the outer 

 slightly shorter; hallux much shorter, little if any more than half as 

 long as middle toe. 



Plumage and coloration. — Plumage quite normal (except in shape 

 of outermost primary; frontal feathering advancing but little upon 

 base of maxilla, its antia forming a double-rounded point on the same 

 vertical line as the malar antia, the feathering of chin extending less 

 than halfway from malar antia to tip of mandible. Coloration wholly 

 immaculate, plain brownish above, paler and more vinaceous below, 

 becoming white on abdomen and under tail-coverts, the pileum some- 

 times bluish gray, the forehead sometimes whitish, the neck (except 

 in front) sometimes glossed with metallic purple or bronze; axillars 

 and under wing-coverts always cinnamon-rufous, and lateral rectrices 

 always tipped with white. 



