Casey — Observations on the Staphylinidae. 313 



as long as the two preceding or soaiewhat longer, the second and third 

 very long and slender, the former somewhat the shorter; prothoraz 

 one-half wider than the head and two-flfths wider than long, the sides 

 strongly, evenly arcuate; elytra a fifth wider and two-flfths longer than 

 the prothorax; abdomen slightly narrower than the elytra, parallel 

 toward base, feebly tapering in apical half, the three basal impressions 

 rather strong; metasternal angle pronounced, right. Length 3.2 mm. ; 

 width 0.8 mm. Maine (Rangeley Lake) sylrla n. sp. 



7 — Moderately stout, convex, shining, deep black, the legs and the basal 



joint of the antennae pale piceo-testaceous; pubescence short, subde- 

 cumbent and not very conspicuous; punctures fine and only moderately 

 clo8«-set even on the abdomen, slightly larger, denser and asperulate 

 on the elytra; head small, as long as wide, arcuately narrowed behind 

 the somewhat prominent eyes; antennae long, attaining apical third of 

 the elytra, gradually and moderately Incrassate distally, the subapical 

 joints somewhat longer than wide, the second shorter than the third; 

 prothorax fully four-fifths wider than the head, barely a third wider 

 than long, the sides evenly and strongly arcuate, the surface strongly 

 convex, very feebly, subtransversely impressed before the scutellum ; 

 elytra throughout equal in width to the prothorax, about a third longer, 

 almost as long as wide; abdomen at base barely narrower than the 

 elytra, only very feebly tapering thence to the tip, the three basal im- 

 pressions distinct; metasternal angle very short, obtusely rounded, 

 about four times as wide as long. Length 3.0 mm.; width 0.8 mm. 

 Missouri est. Louis) lacidala n. sp. 



8 — Body moderately slender, the abdomen tapering posteriorly at least from 



the middle 9 



Body excessively slender, linear, small in size, the abdomen straight and 



parallel at the sides or at the sides of the dorsal plates 14 



9 — Prothorax widest at some distance before the base, less transverse 

 than usual; antennae thick and long. Body nearly as in lucidula, the 

 prothorax smaller and much more narrowed toward apex, deep black, 

 the elytra somewhat piceous, the legs and basal joint of the antennae 

 pale plceous-brown; pubescence fine, subdecumbent, not very conspic- 

 uous, the surface rather shining, finely, moderately closely punctate, 

 more strongly and densely so on the elytra, more minutely and much 

 more closely on the abdomen than in lucidula; head wider than long, 

 arcuately constricted behind the eyes, which are large but not promi- 

 nent; antennae thick, moderately slender toward base, extending almost 

 to the tips of the elytra, the subapical joints slightly elongate, the elev- 

 enth pointed, lobed in apical third as in lucidula, the second and third 

 subequal; prothorax fully three -fourths wider than the head, a third 

 wider than long, the sides strongly rounded toward base, becoming 

 strongly convergent and straighter anteriorly to the apex; surface very 

 feebly impressed before the scutellum; elytra sensibly wider than the 

 prothorax and barely a third longer; abdomen slightly narrower than 

 the elytra, tapering very feebly behind the middle, the three impressions 

 distinct; metasternal angle nearly as in lucidula. Length 2.8 mm.; 

 wld'uh 0.85 mm. New York (near the city.) stygica n. sp. 



