36 [April, 1S44. 



This species is perhaps the P. ssneus of some authors, which is stated to oc- 

 cur frequently in North America. I have seen only one specimen of the above 

 species. The name picipes is pre-occupied in this genus. 



2. P. lactulus. Black, polished ; thorax, four anterior abdominal segments, 

 and femora rufous. — 4 1. long. Pennsylvania. 



Staphylinus Ixtulus, Say, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. IV. 449-4. 



Antennae shorter than the thorax, slightly incrassated towards the tip ; third 

 joint one fourth longer than the second ; brown with three basal joints pitchy 

 black : head wider than the thorax, suborbiculate, widest across the eyes ; black, 

 glossy, with four transveisely placed punctures between the eyes, two on each 

 side and deeply impressed, behind these and near to each eye, four or five 

 smaller ones: thorax not as wide as the elytra, slightly contracted behind, 

 strongly rounded at base, and truncate at apex, sides subrectilinear, with the 

 anterior angles slightly deflexed ; dorsal punctures, with a displaced apical one, 

 four ; lateral punctures two or three ; rufo-sanguineous, highly polished : scutel 

 minutely and rugosely punctured, dark rufous: elytra longer than the thorax, 

 black, with a tinge of blue, punctured, and clothed with minute hairs: abdo- 

 men rufous, three terminal segments black, with a steel-blue reflection; punc- 

 tured: femora and antepectus rufo-testaceous ; knees, tibiae and tarsi black or 

 piceous. 



Staphylinus blundus, Grav., which Dr. Say conjectured to be identical with 

 Isetulus, though closely allied to it, is certainly distinct from the same. The 

 name which Dr. Say proposes for the above species is adopted. 



3. P. pulchellus. Rufo-testaceous ; head, elytra and three terminal seg- 

 ments of the abdomen, black ; thorax with four dorsal punctures in each series. 

 2| 1. long. Pennsylvania. 



Staphylinus pulchellus, Melsh. Catal. 1314. 



Head suboval, not much narrower than the thorax, with the sides almost 

 parallel; deep black and highly polished ; four transversely posted punctures 

 between the eyes, of which the two intermediate ones are almost obsolete; 

 punctures above and behind the eyes, sparse and well impressed : antennas not 

 as long as the thorax, with the second and third joints subequal; joints 5 — 10, 

 equal ; reddish-brown, apical joint pale ferruginous, two basal joints testaceous : 

 thorax somewhat narrower than the elytra ; base, including the posterior an- 

 gles, obtusely rounded; sides almost straight; apex truncate, with the anterior 

 angles obtusely rounded and deflexed ; dorsal punctures eight, four in each se- 

 ries; lateral punctures four or five; reddish testaceous: scutel dark-rufous, 

 punctured : elytra brownish-black, longer than the thorax, rugosely punctured, 

 pubescent : abdomen rufous, with the three terminal segments black, and with 

 a steel-blue reflection ; minutely and densely punctured, pubescent: postpectus 

 black : feet pale testaceous ; tibiae and tarsi spinose. 



Var. b. Anterior third of the thorax black or brownish. — Staphilinus tho- 

 racicus, Melsh. Catal. 1300. 



4. P. nanus. Black; basal joints of the antenna, palpi and feet, dusky 

 testaceous; elytra fuscous ; dorsal punctures three — 1 1. long. Pennsylvania. 



Antennae almost or quite as long as the thorax ; second and third joints sub- 

 equal ; joints 4 — 10 equal, apical joints obliquely emarginate at tip; fuscous, 



