STAPHYLINID.-E. 59 



Atheta (Microdota) alamedana n. sp. Slightly shining, the reticulation 

 distinct, coarse but feeble on the abdomen; punctures fine, not very close, 

 slightly asperulate on the elytra, the pubescence short, not dense; color 

 black or faintly piceous, the elytra brown, the legs pale; head slightly wider 

 than long, parallel, the eyes rather convex, well developed, as long and as 

 prominent as the tempora, the carinae fine, far from entire; antennae short, 

 distinctly incrassate, the outer joints mutually similar in form and transverse, 

 the last gradually pointed, barely as long as the two preceding, the second 

 as long as the next two combined; prothorax moderately transverse, much 

 wider than the head and distinctly narrower than the elytra, parallel, feebly 

 arcuate at the sides, the basal angles obtuse but distinct, only slightly blunt, 

 the basal impression feeble, rounded; elytra not quite parallel, evidently 

 shorter than wide, much longer than the prothorax, the apices not sinuate 

 laterally; abdomen rather short, narrower than the elytra, parallel, with 

 feebly arcuate sides, the tergites subequal, the fifth (d") truncate and coarsely 

 but not strongly crenate, the sixth ventral semicircularly rounded; meso- 

 sternum extending but little beyond the middle of the coxae, the apex finely 

 aciculate, rather far removed from the moderate and angulate metasternal 

 projection, the connecting subdepressed ridge narrowly and strongly convex. 

 Length 1.6 mm.; width 0.38 mm. California (Alameda Co.). 



A rather obscure small species, agreeing in most of its characters 

 with amicula. 



Atheta (Microdota) saturata n. sp. Blackish-piceous, the abdomen black, 

 the elytra scarcely paler than the prothorax, the legs piceous; punctures 

 very fine, the pubescence short, not dense, inconspicuous; surface moder- 

 ately shining, the reticulation feeble, coarse but feeble on the abdomen; 

 head slightly wider than long, wider basally, the eyes but slightly convex 

 and shorter than the much more prominent and rounded tempora, the carinae 

 wholly wanting; antennae dark brown, moderately short, gradually distinctly 

 incrassate, the ninth joint transverse, a little shorter than the tenth, the last 

 gradually acute, rather longer than the two preceding, the second elongate, 

 only a little longer than the third; prothorax as in the preceding but with 

 the basal angles less evident and except in being only a little wider than the 

 decidedly larger head, though more evidently narrower than the elytra, the 

 latter larger, more transverse, much longer as well as wider than the prothorax, 

 not evidently sinuate at the apices; abdomen much narrower than the elytra, 

 subparallel, the fifth tergite much longer than the fourth, the sixth ventral 

 in the type rather produced, with its apex broadly and circularly rounded; 

 first four joints of the hind tarsi equal. Length 1.85 mm.; width 0.4 mm. 

 California (Lake Tahoe). 



Very distinct from the preceding in its antennae, absence of 

 cephalic carinae and other characters. 



Atheta (Microdota) ficta n. sp. Piceous, the head and abdomen black, 

 the legs pale piceous; surface slightly shining, the reticulation somewhat 

 coarse but not strong, moderate and feeble on the abdomen, where it is 

 transversely disposed posteriorly, the punctures fine, not dense, the vestiture 



