Casey — Observations on the Staphylinidae. 405 



V 



parts, where there is sometimes a feeble suggestion of serial 



arrangement toward base. There is no trace of strigilation 

 on the polished surfaces of the anterior parts and the gular 

 sutures are as in Lepiaciniis and Leptacinodes. We have at 

 least four species, which may be readily separated as fol- 

 lows : — 



Last joint of the maxillary palpi as long as the third or longer 2 



Last joint distinctly shorter than the third ; size larger * 



2 — Head large, the prothorai relatively smaller, very conspicuously nar- 

 rower than the head; body slender, moderately convex, polished, black, 

 the abdomen not paler at tip, the elytra rather distinctly, the prothorax 

 more feebly, picescent; legs pale, the antennae blackish; head large, 

 behind the antennae distinctly elongate, the sides parallel and nearly 

 straight, the basal angles broadly rounded, the punctures strong and 

 very close-set throughout, the median smooth line vary narrovF, subob- 

 llterated toward base, the under surface rather less strongly and leis 

 densely punctate ; prothorax small, elongate, with the sides rather feebly 

 converging posteriorly throughout and straight or feebly arcuate, the 

 angles obtusely but not very broadly rounded; punctures similar to 

 those of the head but somewhat less close-set, the broad median smooth 

 line clearly and evenly delimited; elytra longer than wide, somewhat 

 shorter than the prothorax but distinctly wider though not quite as wide 

 as the head, the punctures flue but deep, rather close-set, the punctu- 

 ation broadly confused toward apex and suture; abdomen parallel, 

 minutely, rather inconspicuously punctulate. Length 4.5 mm. ; width 

 0.78 mm. California (coast regions north of San Francisco). 



grandiceps Lee. 

 Head moderately developed, never more than slightly broader than the pro- 

 thorax, the latter relatively larger, similar In coloration to grandiceps 

 but with the prothorax and elytra about equally, and both feebly, 



piceous, the former sometimes rather paler 3 



8 — Elytra only slightly shorter than the prothorax; body parallel, similar 

 in form and sculpture to grandiceps but with the head rather more 

 elongate behind the antennae, the prothorax similar in form but less 

 closely punctate, particularly toward base; elytra and abdomen rela- 

 tively stouter, similarly sculptured. Length 4.5-5.0 mm.; width 0.75- 



0.8 mm. California (Truckee and Siskiyou Co.) aeqnalis n. sp. 



Elytra much shorter than the prothorax; body very slender, parallel, black, 

 the elytra and prothorax more or less distinctly piceous in color, the 

 legs pale as usual; head moderate in size, distinctly elongate behind the 

 antennae, the sides parallel and very feebly arcuate, the basal angles 

 well rounded; punctures strong and dense, giving an opaque appear- 

 ance, the median smooth line very narrow; prothorax well developed, 

 narrower and more elongate than in aequalishxxt otherwise similar, still 

 less obviously narrower than the head, the punctures strong and usually 

 close-set but uneven in distribution; elytra and abdomen much more 

 slender than in aequalis, the former somewhat longer than wide but 



