File:The genera of birds (18554107294).jpg

Order IV. COLUMB^.
Family I. Columbid^.
The fourth Subfamily,
DIDUNCULINiE, or Tooth-billed Pigeon,
have the Bill nearly as long as the head; with the culmen depressed close to the forehead, and then
suddenly arched to the tip, which is hooked and acute ; the sides slightly compressed ; the lower mandible
armed with three distinct angular teeth near the tip, which is truncated ; the Nostrils pierced in the
middle of the basal membranous space, with the opening oblique and linear : the Wings moderate and
concave : the Tail rather short : the Tarsi moderate, and rather strong : the Toes rather long, and the
lateral ones equal : the Claws long and curved.
Didunculus Peale*
Bill strong, nearly as long as the head ; with the culmen depressed for a very short space, from the
forehead, and then suddenly rising and forming a prominent arch to the tip, which overlaps that of the
lower mandible, and is very acute ; the sides slightly compressed ; the lower mandible strong, and fur-
nished with three distinct angular teeth near the tip, which is truncated ; the gonys short, and curved
upwards ; the nostrils placed in the middle of the membranous space of the upper mandible, with the
opening linear and oblique. Wings reaching to the ends of the tail coverts, and concave; with the quills
acuminated, and the second, third, and fourth nearly equal and longest ; the bend of the wing is armed
with a blunt tubercle. Tail moderate, and rounded on the sides. Tarsi as long as the middle toe, and
the front appears to have been covered with small scales. Toes rather long, free at their base, and the
lateral ones equal; the hind toe long; and the claws rather long, curved, and acute. The space round the
eyes, and a small patch on each side of the throat, denuded of feathers.
The type of this genus inhabits the Samoan Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Rev. J. B. Stair has kindly informed
me that this curious-billed bird feeds on the roots of bulbous plants.
D. strigirostris (Jard.) Gould, Ann. Nat. Hist. xvi. p. 175. pi. ix. ; Gould, B. of Austr. v. 76'. pi.

• Established by Mr. Titian Peale. Gnathodon of Sir W. Jardine (1845) and Pleiodus of M. Reichenbach (1847 ?) are synonymous.