596* 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
Sub-Family COLUMBINAE. 
Tarsi stout, sliort, with transverse scutellae anteriorly ; feathered for the basal third above, but not at all behind. Toes 
lengthened, the lateral decidedly longer than the tarsus. Wing's lengthened and pointed. Size large. Tail feathers 12. 
Tltis section of doves embraces the largest North American species, and among them the 
more arboreal ones. The genera are as follow : 
Columba.— Head large ; tail short, broad, and rounded. 
Columba. —Lateral toes equal; hill rather short, stout. 
Patagioenas. —Inner lateral toe the longer ; hill lengthened, compressed. 
Ectopistes. —Head very small ; tail much lengthened, cuneate. 
Comparative measurements of species. 
Cat’l 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex. 
Length 
Stretch 
of wings 
Wings. 
Tail. 
Tarsus. 
Middle 
toe. 
rts claw 
alone. 
Bill 
above. 
Along 
gape. 
Specimens 
measured. 
8423 
8 
14.40 
8.58 
6.56 
1.04 
1.61 
0.44 
0.76 
1.06 
.do. 
14.00 
25.00 
8.50 
8421 
15.30 
8.26 
6.23 
1.10 
1.70 
0.46 
0.78 
1.04 
25.00 
8.25 
8739 
12.64 
8.20 
6.14 
1.01 
1.57 
0.42 
0.72 
1.01 
8741 
12.80 
7.76 
6.16 
1.04 
1.61 
0.43 
0.72 
1.06 
4111 
8 
12.80 
7.66 
5.32 
0.98 
1.62 
0.40 
0.66 
0.80 
14.00 
22.00 
8.00 
8662 
8 
12.00 
7.55 
5.44 
1.02 
1.56 
0.39 
0.76 
1.09 
13 50 
22.50 
7.50 
8664 
9 
12.00 
7.36 
5.52 
1.00 
1.60 
l .40 
0.74 
1.10 
13.00 
20.00 
6.50 
7115 
$ 
8.04 
8.42 
1.08 
1.42 
0.36 
0 63 
0.99 
1319 
9 
14.40 
8.06 
8.18 
1.06 
1.30 
0.32 
0.70 
1.02 
.do. 
16.00 
23.50 
8.00 
COLUMBA, Linnaeus. 
Columba, Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. 1735. Type Columba livia, L. 
The characters of the genus are sufficiently indicated in the preceding paragraph for my 
present purposes. The two sub-genera represented in the United States are as follows : 
Columba. —Bill stout and rather short; culmen from the base of the feathers about two-fifths 
the head. Lateral toes and claws about equal, reaching nearly to the base of the middle claw ; 
the claws rather long and not much curved. Tail rather short, rounded, or nearly even ; as 
long as from the carpal joint to the end of secondaries in the closed wing. Second and third 
quills longest. 
Ashy above. Head and under parts purplish violet. A white half collar on the back of 
the neck. Tail with a subterminal band of dusky. Feathers on the sides of the neck 
metallic golden green. Bill yellow, the tip black.. C. fa data. 
Head and neck chocolate red ; back olive ; remaining portion of body slate blue. Bill 
and lore purple in life; yellow in the skin. No metallic scales on the neck.. C.flavirostris. 
Patagioenas. —Bill slender, elongated. Culmen measured from the base of the frontal feathers 
about one-half the head. Inner lateral toe with its claw longer than the outer, and reaching 
