STAPHYLINID.E 403 



rounded, the adjoining surface triangularly impressed; legs and tarsi 

 very slender. Length (cf 9 ) 4.7-5.2 mm.; width 0.9-1.2 mm. 

 California (Sonoma to Humboldt Co.). Abundant. . .debilis Horn 



Abdomen subevenly, moderately closely punctate throughout; elytral 

 punctures sparse, extremely minute and feeble, very much less distinct 

 than in debilis but somewhat as in nanulus 4 



4 Body nearly as large as in debilis but more narrowly fusiform, similar 

 in coloration; head still smaller but otherwise similar, the antennae 

 ( 9 ) extending to the middle of the pronotum, the nuchal constriction 

 similarly rather deep; prothorax smaller, more rounded at the sides, 

 as wide as long; elytra larger than in nanulus, almost as in debilis in 

 relative size and proportion; abdomen more rapidly tapering behind 

 the middle, the punctures more minute and not quite so close-set as in 

 debilis; legs very slender; hind tarsi as usual in the genus, the basal 

 joint not quite so long as the fifth, the latter not so long as the three 

 preceding combined. Length (9) 5.0 mm.; width 1. 1 mm. Mon- 

 tana (Helena) helenae n. sp. 



Body much smaller, not even quite so large as in nanulus and narrower 

 and more fusiform; coloration as in the preceding species; head much 

 smaller than the prothorax, almost exactly circular, the eyes large 

 as usual and evenly continuing the curvature of the sides; antennae 

 moderately incrassate, extending to about the middle of the pro- 

 notum; prothorax subcircular, though broadly truncate at apex as 

 usual, rather wider than long; elytra relatively even larger than in 

 debilis and very much larger than in nanulus, fully as long as wide 

 and distinctly longer than the prothorax, together broadly and 

 feebly sinuate at apex, at base as wide as the prothorax, at apex 

 evidently wider; abdomen distinctly tapering throughout, the sixth 

 ventral (cf) with the apical sinus broader and deeper than in nanulus, 

 somewhat as in debilis but much shallower and with the adjoining 

 surface not impressed. Length (cf) 3.8 mm.; width 0.8 mm. 

 California (Soda Spring, Anderson Valley, between Sonoma and 

 Mendocino Cos.). This is the smallest species of the Quedius series. 



humilis n. sp. 



5 Form more parallel than in the preceding and larger in size, piceous, 

 the elytra flavate, the head black; legs shorter, less slender, pale in 

 color; head orbicular, rather wider than long, the eyes large, evenly 

 continuing the curve of the sides and coming within about a third 

 their length of the nuchal constriction; antennae flavate, rather 

 thick, barely incrassated, not extending quite to the middle of the 

 pronotum; front anteriorly with two feeble transverse impressions 

 in the type; prothorax large, suborbicular, rather wider than long, 

 not quite so rounded at base, much wider than the head, the three 

 punctures of the series very fine and feeble; scutellum very smooth; 

 elytra much shorter than wide, as long as the prothorax and a little 

 narrower, subparallel, the minute punctures very close-set; abdomen 

 parallel, narrowing apically, minutely, extremely closely and evenly 

 punctulate, the sixth dorsal more sparsely and less finely; sixth 

 ventral (cf ) with a deep notch medially, which is acute and formed 

 like a cusp-point, the adjoining surface feebly impressed and smooth; 



