STAPHYLINID.E. 131 



own length from the base, the tempora converging and rounded; carinae 

 fine but perfectly entire; antennae short, rather strongly incrassate distally, 

 the second joint much shorter than the first but only a little longer than the 

 third, the fourth to tenth similar, strongly transverse but increasing rapidly 

 in size, the last as long as the two preceding, ogivally pointed; prothorax 

 transverse, much wider than the head and slightly narrower than the elytral 

 base, parallel and moderately rounded at the sides, the basal impression 

 transverse and subobsolete; elytra rather short and transverse, truncate 

 externally at the apices, the suture nearly two-fifths longer than the prothorax ; 

 abdomen long, parallel, evidently narrower than the elytra, the first five 

 tergites about equal in length. Length 1.5 mm.; width 0.38 mm. Lower 

 California (Santo Domingo del Taste). 



The coloration, large eyes, entire cephalic carinae, parallel abdo- 

 men and other distinctive characters will facilitate the identification 

 of this small species. 



Synaptina n. gen. 



The species of this genus are moderate in size, frequently with 

 very coarsely faceted eyes and generally of sombre coloration. The 

 middle coxae are subcontiguous, the mesosternal process not extend- 

 ing beyond their middle point, with its apex finely aciculate and 

 very far removed from the transverse and at most very feebly 

 arcuate metasternum, the connecting ridge acute and very deeply 

 depressed. The hind tarsi are moderately thick, with the first four 

 joints equal, the cephalic carinae incomplete and the antennae 

 moderately long and slender. The hypomera are horizontal and 

 warped. 



Synaptina merica n. sp. Somewhat stout and subparallel, slightly convex, 

 shining, unusually coarsely micro-reticulate throughout but very obsoletely 

 so on the abdomen, the punctures very fine and sparse throughout, not at 

 all asperulate, the pubescence short, stiff and very sparse; color dark piceous,. 

 the elytra but slightly paler, the legs pale; head large, nearly as long as wide, 

 sensibly and gradually inflated basally, the eyes broadly and obliquely sublen- 

 ticular, convex, very coarsely faceted and at much more than their own length 

 from the base, the carinae fine and far from entire; antennae longer than 

 the head and prothorax, gradually and feebly incrassate, piceous, only slightly 

 paler basally, the second joint much elongated, only very little shorter 

 though narrower than the first, much longer than the third, which is also 

 slender, elongate and feebly obconic, the fourth slightly wider than long, 

 the outer joints slightly transverse, the last subcylindric, obtusely pointed 

 and as long as the two preceding; prothorax moderately transverse, sub- 

 parallel and broadly rounded at the sides, a little wider than the head and 

 correspondingly narrower than the elytra, the median line very finely and 

 scarcely visibly impressed basally; elytra rather short and strongly trans- 

 verse, the apices broadly and feebly sinuate externally, the suture equal in 



