American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth
Edition - n. A constellation in the Southern Hemisphere near
Caelum and Puppis. Also called Dove. - Columba, Saint 521-597.
Irish missionary who established a monastery on the island of
Iona and subsequently Christianized northern Scotland. Century
Dictionary and Cyclopedia - n. A genus of pigeons, formerly
coextensive with the order Columbæ, now restricted to species
typical of the family Columbidæ and subfamily Columbinæ, such as
the domestic pigeon or rock-dove (C. livia), the stock-dove (C.
ænas), the ring-dove (C. palumbus), and several others of both
hemispheres. The bill is comparatively short and stout; the
wings are pointed; the tail is much shorter than the wings, and
square or little rounded; the tarsi are shorter than the middle
toe, and are scutellate in front and feathered above; and there
are 10 remiges or wing-feathers, and 12 rectrices or tail-
feathers. See cut under - n. In conchology, a genus of bivalve
mollusks. - n. [l. c] [ML.