/cv 
IG 
COLUMBID^ 
THE PIGEONS. 
105 
said to be purple in life. Iris purple. Length, 14.00 ; wing, 7.80 ; tail, 
5.40 ; culmen, .52 ; tarsus, 1.03 ; middle toe, 1.15 ; outer, .82 ; inner, .75. 
Hab. Middle America, and southern borders of Middle Province of 
United States, from Arizona and the Rio Grande ; south to Costa Rica. 
( Red-billed Pigeon ; Red Dove.) 
JJJJ Genus ECTOPISTES, Swainson. (Page 104.) 25 
E. migratoria. Prevailing color blue ; beneath purplisli-red, passing into bluish- white 
on the under tail-coverts; sides of neck glossed with metallic reddish-purple. Blue-black 
spots on wings (not on quills) partially concealed. Tail-feather white on inner web, 
with a rufous and black patch. Bill black ; feet red; iris red. Length, 17.00; wing, 8.50; 
tail, 8.40. Female. Smaller and duller, ashy beneath. Hab. North America to high 
central plains, Nevada; Cuba. (Wild, or Passenger Pigeon.) 
22 S UBFAMILY ZENAIDIN^S. (Page 104 .) 25 
Zenaideae. Size moderate. Wings lengthened, acute, the primaries much 
longer than the secondaries. Tarsus scutellate anteriorly. A blackish spot 
beneath the auriculars ; tail-feathers tipped with white, and with a blackish 
subterminal bar. Sides of the neck with a metallic gloss. 
Bill lengthened, much depressed. A white patch on the wing ; no 
black spots on the scapulars ; plumage ashy, lighter beneath. Tail of 
twelve feathers, rounded. Iris purple. (Page 106.) . . . Melopelia. 
Bill smaller, more compressed. No white patch on the wing; 
scapulars with black spots, and black spots below the ear. Above 
olivaceous, beneath vinaceous. Sides of body and inside of wings blue. 
Iris brown. 
Tail of twelve feathers rounded. (Page 106.) . . . Zenaida. 
Tail of fourteen feathers, graduated or cuneate. (Page 106.) Zenaidura. 
Chamaepeliese. Size very small. Wings rounded, the primaries scarcely 
longer than the tertials. Tarsus scutellate anteriorly. No blackish spot 
beneath the auriculars ; no metallic gloss on sides of the neck. Tail of 
twelve feathers. Iris purple or red. 
Tail lengthened (much longer than wings), doubly rounded, the lateral 
feathers much shorter; the three outer pairs with white terminally. 
(Page 106.) Scardafella. 
Tail short (much less than wings), simply rounded, the lateral feathers 
only slightly shorter ; outer feathers without white terminally, or with 
only a slight edging. Wing-coverts with oblique black spots, and 
body without transverse blackish bars. Outside of the tarsus without 
a feathered strip ; lining of the wing wholly rufous. (Page 106.) Chamcepelia. 
Starncenadeee: Size moderate (generally a little larger than Zenaida) ; 
form robust, or quail-like. Legs very stout ; tarsi decidedly longer than 
the middle toe, variously scaled anteriorly. Wings short, very broad, and 
much rounded, but the primaries decidedly longer than the secondaries. 
Legs very stout ; tarsi covered with hexagonal scales ; crown blue ; a 
black gular patch, bordered below by white. Iris “ brown.” (Page 107.) 
JStarnoenas, 
Legs moderate ; tarsi covered anteriorly with transverse scutellae. 
Crown' never blue, and throat without black or white markings. Iris 
“carmine.” (Page 107.) . Oreopeleia. 
KS 
