NEW GENERA OF COLUMBIDJ^. 



163 



Genus or Sub-genus — Toria nobis. — Thorya. (quasi Rostratus) of the 



Nipalese Character. 



Bill shorter than the head, compressed very strong with the tip heavily 

 bent and membrane at the base nearly obsolete ; nares longitudinal, linear, 

 simple ;* wings sub-medial ; 2d longest, 3d Innately emarginated on the 

 inner web ; the rest simple ;t tail 14, short, even; orbits and lores nude ; 

 tarsi equal to the central toe, nude ; knees clad ; acrotarsial scales nearly 

 perfect ; paratarsus smooth. 



Toes unequal ; the two exterior fores compressed and slender ; the 

 inner fore and hind somewhat depressed and bordered ; hind stout ; outer 

 toe longer than the inner ; nails falcate and acute ; hind largest ; plumage 

 simple. If the bird previously described appeared to be placed on the 

 confines of the arboreal and ground Pigeons, belonging to the former, so 

 this seems to possess a similarly-osculant character. Its aberration, how- 

 ever, from the sub-family type consists chiefly in the structure of its feet ; 

 not in that of its bill as in the preceding genus. 



Its wings are longer than in Goura, shorter than in Columba or Vinago. 

 The quills offer no peculiarity save that noted above, and the firm prima- 

 ries exceed the tertiaries by \^ inch. The bill possesses more strength and 

 a stronger bend than in any species of the whole family I ever met with. 

 The nares longitudinally developed, and neither fossed nor provided with 

 a tumid tect, are quite unique. The feet have, upon the whole, a perching 

 character ; bat they are, at the same time, by no means so utterly unsuited 

 for walking as those of the typical arboreal Pigeons. With reference to the 

 doubtful attributes of the feet and wings of our bird I have been induced to 

 range it with hesitation amongst the VinagincE owing to the extreme po>v'er 

 of the bill — certainly a decided, though not, I think, the most decided cha- 

 racter of that sub-family. The habits of the species are very sip>ffar to those 



* Nares simple, tliat is, neither fossed as ia Gourn, not .wollenly menibraned as ia 

 Columba, and iu a less degree, in Vimrjo also. 



t 2, 3, 4 are slightly sinuated on the outer web ; but the mark is too common to be 

 characteristic. 



