STAPHYLINID^E. 21 



black in less than basal half, the abdomen not paler apically, the legs 

 pale brown; sculpture and vestiture nearly as in adrersa, except that the 

 abdomen is more asperate, the asperities not small and feeble on the fifth 

 tergite as in that species but even coarser and more conspicuous than 

 elsewhere; head nearly similar, the antennae not so short, blackish-piceous 

 in color throughout, the outer joints not quite so transverse and not 

 increasing much in size distally; prothorax nearly similar theugh slightly 

 shorter and more greatly exceeding the head in width; elytra similar 

 though broader and relatively shorter, the relationship with the prothorax 

 in width and length nearly similar, the apical sinuses deep; abdomen 

 similar though relatively less elongate, only a little exceeding the anterior 

 parts in length, differing however very greatly in the much shorter fifth 

 tergite, which only slightly exceeds the fourth in length. Length 2.35 

 mm.; width 0.46 mm. California (San Diego), Dunn. 



Allied rather closely to adversa but stouter, differing in coloration, 

 in its less abbreviated, more parallel and darker antennae and es- 

 pecially in the relative extent and sculpture of the fifth abdominal 

 tergite, which last however may be a male sexual character. 



Oxypoda Mann. 



In the wide and diversified continental expanses from New England 

 to Alaska and southern California, the number of Oxypoda species 

 already discovered is notably large, the various forms being localized 

 to a marked degree as a rule, and but few of them, comparatively, 

 are described thus far. Descriptions are here given of those re- 

 maining undefined in my collection, and it is convenient to divide 

 them for this purpose into a few somewhat arbitrary groups, not 

 as a taxonomic finality by any means, but merely to facilitate 

 identification; these groups may be outlined as follows: 



Antennae relatively long and frequently heavy, though always gradually 

 incrassate and not at all of the short stout clavate form seen in 

 hudsunica, californica and fnstiger, which should probably form a 

 different genus ........................................ Group I 



Antennae relatively small in size .............................. 2 



2 Prothorax relatively short and transverse, parallel or nearly so; 



elytra parallel, moderately developed .................. Group II 



Prothorax not notably short, always having the sides converging an- 

 teriorly and generally strongly ............................ 3 



3 Elytra relatively less developed and more parallel, the prothorax 



convex, usually somewhat swollen basally and apparently somewhat 

 wider than the elytral base ......................... Group III 



Elytra large, the prothorax relatively much smaller, not swollen at 

 base, where it is usually only as wide as the elytral base, the elytra 

 less parallel as a rule ............................. Group IV 



L I B R A 



