STAPHYLINID^:. 49 



aciculate, separated from the extremely short and broadly, very obtusely 

 subangulate metasternum by a rather long sunken interval, which is rather 

 sharply ridged; hind tarsi with the basal joint shorter than the second. 

 Length 2.0 mm.; width 0.43 mm. Rhode Island (Boston Neck). 



The rather depressed form, very fine sculpture and swollen tem- 

 pora, which however are not at all as in Amischa, will render the 

 identification of this species comparatively easy. The abdomen 

 differs from anything in the preceding subgenus in being evenly 

 though not densely asperulato-punctulate throughout, and the sixth 

 ventral segment is much narrower. 



Micrearota n. stibgen. 



Body very small in size, the eyes less developed than in more 

 typical forms of Atheta, the middle coxae well separated, the long 

 ridge between the mesosternum and short angulate metasternum 

 scarcely at all depressed and broadly convex, the mesosternal process 

 short, with its apex very broad and truncate, nearly as in Stethusa. 

 Additional characters of subgeneric import are mentioned in the 

 course of the following descriptions. The species are rather nu- 

 merous and appear to associate with ants but probably as mere 

 casual guests: 



Atheta (Micrearota) loricula n. sp. Moderately stout, feebly convex, not 

 very shining, the micro-reticulation unusually coarse and strong, very coarse 

 but feeble on the abdomen, the punctures fine, not dense and not rough; 

 color piceous, the head and abdomen posteriorly slightly blackish, the elytra 

 but little paler, the legs pale; pubescence not dense, rather coarse; head 

 about as long as wide, the eyes small, anterior, the long tempora feebly 

 swollen basally, the carinse wholly wanting; antennae moderately short and 

 stout, distinctly incrassate, blackish throughout, the outer joints distinctly 

 transverse, the last not quite so long as the two preceding, the second and 

 third moderately elongate, obconic, the latter slightly the shorter; prothorax 

 transverse, nearly as wide as the elytra, much wider than the head, widest 

 before the middle, the sides broadly arcuate, the basal impression very 

 feeble; elytra short and transverse, the suture feebly impressed throughout, 

 but little longer than the prothorax, the apices not sinuate externally, the 

 sides diverging; abdomen wide, only slightly narrower than the elytra, 

 parallel, the fourth and fifth tergites equal, longer than the others, the first 

 unusually short; hind tarsi rather long, slender, the first four joints uniformly 

 though very slowly decreasing. Length 1.65 mm.; width 0.38 mm. Iowa 

 (Iowa City). 



Prof. Wickham, who sent me my only example of this distinct 

 species, has labeled it "Nest 3," but without further note. 

 T. L. Casey, Mem. Col. I, Sept. 1910. 



