Bill short, soft for half its length, horny toward the end; upper
mandible with a tumid fleshy covering at the base, its dorsal line
straight, toward the end convex and deflected, the tip narrow, but
obtuse; lower mandible at its base wider than the upper, its sides
elastic and slender, the angle long and obtuse, the dorsal line short
and convex, the tip obtuse. Nostrils linear in the lower and fore part
of the nasal membrane. Head small, oblong; neck of moderate length;
body rather full. Feet short; tarsus partially feathered, scutellate,
or scaly; toes four, on the same level, broad beneath, marginate; the
first short, the lateral nearly equal, all scutellate above. Claws
moderate, arched, compressed, rather blunt. Plumage generally compact,
the feathers with thick spongy shaft, and destitute of plumule. Wings
and tail various. Tongue rather broad at the base, toward the end
narrow, horny, induplicate, pointed; œsophagus very wide, enlarged
into an enormous crop; stomach a very large and strong gizzard, placed
obliquely, its lateral muscles exceedingly thick, the lower prominent,
the tendons very large, the epithelium dense, with longitudinal broad
rugæ, and two opposite grinding surfaces; intestine long, of moderate
width; cœca very small; cloaca oblong. Trachea simple, flattened,
with a single pair of inferior laryngeal muscles. Nest flat, rudely
constructed. Eggs two, elliptical, white.
GENUS I. COLUMBA, Linn. DOVE.
Bill straight, rather short, slender, compressed; upper mandible with
the dorsal line straight at the base, convex toward the end, the
nostrils linear, oblique, covered with a fleshy bare membrane, the
edges sharp toward the end, with a distinct notch, the tip narrow,
sharp-edged, rounded; lower mandible with the angle long and pointed,
the sides erect, the base sloping outwards toward the end, the edges
sharp, the tip narrow, but blunt. Head small, oblong, compressed; neck
of moderate length; body full. Feet short, strong; tarsus very short,
roundish, with a single row of scutella above, and two anterior rows
of large hexagonal scales; toes beneath rather slender, broad and flat
beneath, marginate, with large scutella; hind toe smallest, lateral
about equal. Claws of moderate size, arched, compressed, acute.
Plumage rather compact above, blended beneath; wings long, pointed,
the second and third quills longest. Tail of moderate length, rounded,
of twelve broad rounded feathers.