MONOGRAPH OF WEST INDIAN STAPHY1JN^DAE 3 



Before I commenced this study Dr. P. J. Darlington, of the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass., had prepared a re- 

 vision of one large genus of staphylinids in the West Indies. His 

 paper has now been published, and his generosity in depositing para- 

 types in the United States National Museum has greatly aided me in 

 understanding his new species and key. 



An extensive collection of the Staphylinidae of Cuba has been 

 made by Alexander Bierig, of Habana, Cuba. It was not possible 

 for me to examine this collection, but Sr. Bierig generously sent 

 nearly a hundred "cotypes" of his new species to the United States 

 National Museum in exchange. These specimens, with a few from 

 the same source that were already in my own collection, have enabled 

 me to identify with certainty most of Sr. Bierig's species. Without 

 this help it would have been impossible to have included Cuba with 

 a degi-ee of completeness corresponding to that of the other islands. 

 Many more species and many more records doubtless are now in Sr. 

 Bierig's collection, but I have not had an opportunity to study them. 



Other collections in which West Indian species have been examined 

 or from which specimens were borrowed include the Museum of Com- 

 parative Zoology at Cambridge, Mass.; the American Museum of 

 Natural History in New York; the Oxford University collection 

 (Cayman Island specimens collected by G. B. Lewis) ; the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture at Hope Gardens, Kingston, Jamaica ; the Serv- 

 ice Technique at Damien, Haiti; the Eio Riedras Experiment Sta- 

 tion in Puerto Rico ; the School of Agriculture of the University of 

 Puerto Rico at Mayagiiez; and the private collection of the late 

 Dr. S. T. Danforth, of Mayagiiez, P. R. In addition, specimens 

 were received by gift from R. G. Oakley in Puerto Rico, Dr. A. M. 

 Adamson and the late Prof. F. W. Urich in Trinidad, Dr. R. W. E. 

 Tucker in Barbados, Dr. H. E. Box in St. Kitts, Antigua, and St. 

 Lucia, and Harry Beatty in St. Croix. To all these institutions and 

 friends I am much indebted for these and other kindnesses. 



During the course of the collecting trip many persons were of 

 great assistance in various waj^s. Of these I wish to mention espe- 

 cially the following: W. E. Edwards and Mrs. Philip A. Bovell 

 in Jamaica; Andre Audant in Haiti; R. G. Oakley in Puerto Rico; 

 Dr. F. J. Pound, Dr. A. M. Adamson, and Profl F. W. Urich in 

 Trinidad; Mr. Knight and Mr. Simmons in Carriacou; Perry N. 

 Jester, E. M. Shilstone, and Dr. R. W. E. Tucker in Barbados; Dr. 

 II. E. Box in St. Lucia; and Harry Beatty in St. Croix. I grate- 

 fully acknowledge the assistance given so freely by these and many 

 others. 



The governments of the various islands did much to make our 

 trip easier and more successful. With scarcely any exception the 



