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Genus TURTUR. 
The birds belonging to this group are distin- 
guished by their bill, which is slenderer in its pro- 
portions than that of the Pigeons. The tip of the 
upper mandible is gently deflected, that of the lower 
scarcely exhibiting an appearance of an angle. Legs, 
the tarsi rather shorter than the middle toe. Feet 
formed for walking or perching, the inner toe longer 
than the outer. Front of the tarsi covered with 
broad imbricated scales. Wings, the first quill a 
little shorter than the second, the third the longest 
of all. Tail rounded, or slightly graduated. The 
Turtles are inferior in size to the Pigeons, ' which 
they closely resemble in their habits. They feed 
upon the ground, but roost and breed in the 
woods. 
As an example of the genus, we present our read- 
ers with a figure of the well known 
