STAPHYLINID/E 189 



last ogival and nearly as long as the two preceding; prothorax less devel- 

 oped than in any of the preceding, four-fifths wider than long, widest 

 scarcely behind the middle, the sides rather strongly arcuate, more 

 converging anteriorly, the apex distinctly narrower than the base; median 

 line very feebly impressed, ending in a large shallow transversely oval 

 ante-scutellar indentation; elytra moderately transverse, with straight 

 diverging sides, at base slightly wider than any part of the prothorax, 

 at apex still much wider, the suture two-fifths longer; abdomen distinctly 

 narrower than the elytra, parallel, narrowing very slightly at tip, the 

 first three tergites feebly and rather finely impressed at base. Length, 

 1.8 mm.; width 0.47 mm. California (Hydesville, Valley of Eel River, 

 Humboldt Co.). 



The single female serving as the type of this species, seems to be 

 slightly immature though not at all distorted on drying; the basal 

 joint of the hind tarsi is not quite so long as the next three combined. 



Placusa vaga n. sp. Rather broad, depressed and alutaceous, finely, 

 closely and asperulately punctate, the pronotal punctures separated 

 by rather more than twice their own width, the abdomen more finely but 

 otherwise almost similarly punctate, the pubescence short; color black, 

 the elytra just visibly picescent, the legs piceous; head moderate, 

 slightly transverse, nearly three-fourths as wide as the prothorax, 

 the eyes rather small, moderately convex, at three-fourths their length 

 from the base, the tempora about as prominent and strongly rounded 

 just behind the eyes, then rapidly converging to the base; antennae 

 black, moderately short, the outer part slightly incrassate, the third 

 joint much shorter than the second and thinner, fourth nearly as long 

 as wide, four to seven increasing rather rapidly, the last five subequally 

 wide and rather thick, the tenth more than one-half wider than long on 

 the compressed side, the last obtuse, as long as the two preceding; 

 prothorax four-fifths wider than long, widest somewhat before the middle, 

 subparallel, the sides rather strongly rounded, the apex not evidently- 

 narrower than the base, the surface barely at all and very suffusedly 

 impressed at base; elytra large, feebly transverse, with slightly diverging 

 straight sides, at base fully a sixth wider than the prothorax, the suture 

 three-fifths longer, the humeri evidently exposed at base; abdomen 

 broad, slightly narrower than the elytra, parallel, the margins rather 

 wide and feebly arcuate externally, the tergites not impressed except the 

 first, which is feebly so, the fifth much longer than the fourth; basal 

 joint of the hind tarsi barely as long as the next two combined. Length 

 1.7 mm.; width 0.55 mm. California (Sta. Cruz Mts.). 



This species is aberrant, when compared with any of the preceding, 

 in its exposed elytral humeri, relatively more developed elytra and 

 less elongate basal joint of the hind tarsi; it is however a Placusa, 

 so far as can be determined at present, and is represented by a 

 single female. 



