. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. XATUliAL Ul^TURY. -.â¢^ â *5^' THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE PIGEONS.âTHE COLUMBID^E, OR TRUE PIGEONS. In this large family the bulk of the Pigeons, some four hundred in number, are located. All of them have the nostrils narrow in shape and situated clofee to the cutting edge of the mandible, with which they run parallel. On the upper part of the bill there is a convex soft skin, which forms a tubercle. Sundevall divides the true Pigeons into four divisions; in the first are included all the Fruit Pigeons, which are inliabitants of the tropical
. Cassell's natural history. Animals; Animal behavior. XATUliAL Ul^TURY. -.â¢^ â *5^' THE SECOND FAMILY OF THE PIGEONS.âTHE COLUMBID^E, OR TRUE PIGEONS. In this large family the bulk of the Pigeons, some four hundred in number, are located. All of them have the nostrils narrow in shape and situated clofee to the cutting edge of the mandible, with which they run parallel. On the upper part of the bill there is a convex soft skin, which forms a tubercle. Sundevall divides the true Pigeons into four divisions; in the first are included all the Fruit Pigeons, which are inliabitants of the tropical portion of the Old World, and whose prevailing style of coloui is gieen They all have the taisus shortei than the middle toe. There are two sub- divisions of the Fruit Pigeons; ^\-v §t ^^ *'*® ^'^^ *'''® ^'^' ^^ stouter ^"^Nl/ than the tarsus, and in tliis divi- ^ "^ sion are found all the Green Fruit Pigeons, of which writes Dr. Jerdon * : _" The Green Pigeons ai-e a -well-mai'ked division, all having a marked physiognomy, by which they can be recognised at a glance. They are of tolerably stout and massive form, and of a dull leaf-green colour, more or less varied with ashy and marone above, with yellow on the wings, and with orange or buff beneath. The eyes of most are very beau- tiful, being blue with a red outer circle. They are more or less gregarious, according to the species. When hunting for fruit they are continually gliding about the branches, like Squirrels; and from their strong feet they can hang over to seize a friut, and recover theii- position at once by the strong muscles of their legs. Wlien perfectly quiet they are very difficult to observe, from the similarity of their tints to that of leaves. They nidificate on trees, making a loose nest of twigs, and laying two white eggs. A few are found in Africa and Madagascar, but the majority are denizens of India and Malayana, not extending as far as Australia; but one species at least oc
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjecta, booksubjectanimals
