STAPHYLINID^: 449 



thicker, the sixth ventral rounded at apex. Length (cf 9 ) 6.8-9.0 

 mm.; width 1.1-1.4 mm - Florida (Palm Beach and New River). 

 Ten examples pallidus n. sp. 



In my original description of moquinus (Cont. Descr. and Syst. 

 Col. N. A., II, p. 125), occupying more than a page of rather fine 

 type, I omitted three of the most important characters of the 

 species: the form of the gular suture, the form and sparse sculpture 

 of the scutellum and the completely testaceous legs. The female of 

 the two original specimens did not belong with the male type, 

 which, I am now convinced, was not taken by Morrison. The 

 species was hurried into synonymy by Horn without justification, 

 as it is one of the more isolated species of the genus, but this 

 Hornian synonymy was copied by Bernhauer in his recent catalogue 

 in the Schenkling series. Xanthomelas Solsky, with which it was 

 united in synonymy, is said by Dr. Sharp to be a Philonthtts* and 

 to have longer spines on the lower edge of the anterior male femora 

 beyond the middle; there is no species described above having any 

 such character and I do not think that either xanthomelas or 

 ephippiatus Say, occur north of the Mexican boundary. The latter 

 species is said by Say to have the tergum ' ' a little hairy ' ' and there- 

 fore probably rather sparsely punctured "deep blackish-blue" 

 and "iridescent," which characters will not at all fit punctiventris, 

 which figured under that name in my collection for many years. 

 Pollens Sharp, which in later years was added to the American list, 

 is said by the author to be red, with the head, prothorax, antennae, 

 scutellum, prosternum, last two abdominal segments and four 

 anterior coxae black, being colored almost as in formosus but 1 1 to 

 14 mm. long; I have seen no such species. Many of the species 

 of Belonuchus resemble each other to external view rather closely 

 and they all vary greatly in the size of the body, but I feel rather 

 sure that all the species described above are distinguished by fully 

 adequate characters of a structural nature; coloration when con- 

 stant is as valid a structural character as any other. 



* I think that a considerable number of species placed in Philonthus by Dr. Sharp, 

 are more properly Belonuchus, at any rate agreeing much better with the latter in its 

 peculiar habitus. 



T. L. Casey, Mem. Col. VI, Nov. 1915. 



