Ocwcy — Observations on the Staphylinidae. 333 



seven species form five genera or subgeneija, the first three 

 species having a rather broad, arcuately truncate to trian- 

 gular mesosternal process, very short and basal infra-lateral 

 carinae of the head and long and slender, barely incrassated 

 antennae, the first four joints of the hind tarsi being rather 

 short and subequal among themselves ; they are the true Lio- 

 gluta Thorns. The above assumed X. sexnotata, however, dif- 

 fers in having the mesosternal process acutely aciculate, the 

 antennae much longer and gradually and conspicuously incras- 

 sate and the elytra much shorter and more transverse when 

 compared with the prothorax, constituting the second genus. 

 Atheta castanoptera resembles sexnotata in the acutely aciculate 

 mesosternum, but has the infra-lateral carinae much longer, 

 almost attaining the buccal cavity, the antennae and elytra 

 being proportioned as in Liogluta . Assuming Atheta trinotata 

 as the type of Atheta, this genus is distinguished by an acutely 

 aciculate and longer mesosternal process, basal and rudimen- 

 tary infra-lateral carinae, with the prothorax and elytra pro- 

 portioned as in Liogluta but having the antennae notably 

 short, the subapical joints transverse. Finally Atheta cras- 

 sicornis constitutes a genus having characters nearly similar 

 to Atheta, h\xi with the infra-lateral carinae entire and the an- 

 tennae more developed. The basal joint of the hind tarsi is 

 decidedly shorter than the second in all these five genera, 

 excepting the true Liogluta. The subject is a difficult one 

 and is only touched upon at the present time for the reason 

 that I have already published Anepsioia (Ann. N. Y. Acad., 

 VII, p. 329), and desire to fix its position in the series more 

 definitely. The generic or subgeneric groups defined below are 

 all allies of Liogluta and Homalota Key, (nee Mann., fide 

 Heyden,Keitter and Weise) and not oi Atheta: — 



Infra-lateral carinae of the head abbreviated, not attaining the buccal open- 

 ing 2 



Infra-lateral carinae entire 1* 



2 — Hind tarsi short 8 



Hind tarsi long, sometimes nearly as long as the tibiae, with the two basal 

 joints relatively much more elongate and equal or subequal in 



length 11 



— First two joints of the hind tarsi equal in length ; abdominal impres- 

 sions more or less narrow 4 



