STAPHYLINID/E 115 



Atheta mordax n. sp. More parallel, only slightly convex, black or 

 nearly so, the abdominal tip paler, the elytra colored as in the preceding 

 species, the legs pale; lustre moderately shining, the minute sculpture 

 of the more polished abdomen coarsish and transversely polygonal 

 posteriorly, becoming very fine, close and strigilate basally; punctures 

 very fine and not asperate, indistinct, very close on the elytra", the vesti- 

 ture rather long and coarse; head only slightly transverse, three-fourths 

 as wide as the prothorax, the eyes rather small, slightly prominent, 

 anterior, at a little more than their own length from the base, the tempora 

 scarcely so prominent, parallel and nearly straight for a long distance, 

 then moderately oblique to the base, the carinse very fine but sharply 

 elevated, not quite entire; antennae long, rufo-piceous, gradually and 

 rather strongly incrassate, the second joint barely shorter than the third, 

 each much shorter than the first, fourth and fifth distinctly, the sixth 

 not at all, longer than wide, the outer joints but just visibly wider than 

 long, the last stout, ogival at tip, fully as long as the two preceding; 

 prothorax only a fourth wider than long, parallel, evenly and rather 

 strongly rounded at the sides, the median line very faintly impressed 

 throughout ; elytra slightly shorter than wide, the sides evidently diverging, 

 straight, at base only very slightly wider, the suture a third longer, than 

 the prothorax; abdomen parallel, slightly narrower than the elytra, the 

 fifth tergite but little longer than the fourth, the sixth in the type very 

 broadly arcuate at apex, the sixth ventral arcuato-truncate, with rounded 

 though evident side angles; middle coxse almost contiguous, the meso- 

 sternal process rather short, very finely aciculate and separated by a 

 very long interval from the transverse, extremely broadly and feebly 

 angulate metasternum. Length 3.2 mm.; width 0.72 mm. British 

 Columbia (Stickine River), Wickham. 



This is one of those species which it is difficult to say should be 

 placed in Atheta or Metaxya. On the whole it has more real affinity 

 with the latter, but in general facies it might be said to be rather 

 an Atheta; so I leave it for the present in this position. 



The three following species inhabit the country between the Sierra- 

 Cascade ranges and the Rocky Mts. 



Atheta subretracta n. sp. Subparallel, rather convex and shining, 

 piceous-black, the elytra dark brownish-testaceous, the punctures 

 minute, not close, larger, rather close and feebly asperate on the elytra, 

 minute and numerous on the abdomen, where the micro-reticulation is 

 in irregularly wavy transverse lines; pubescence very fine and short; 

 head almost as long as wide, very gradually and feebly wider to the base, 

 the eyes not prominent and at more than their own length from the base, 

 the carinae very fine but subentire; antennae short, blackish, pale 

 basally, gradually rather strongly incrassate, the second and third 

 joints equal, fourth obtrapezoidal and slightly wider than long, 

 fifth to tenth mutually subsimilar, short, nearly twice as wide as long 

 the last conoidal, as long as the two preceding; prothorax nearly three- 



