MONOGRAPH OF WEST INDIAN STAPHYLINIDAE 343 



but is similar in many respects to the mountain species of Cuba and 

 Hispaniola. 



I have received no record of its habits. 



9. BIOCRYPTA HISPANIOLA, new species 



Description. — Rufocastaneous, somewhat picescent in front. Head 

 somewhat enlarged behind the eyes; eyes minute, separated from base 

 by eiglit times tlieir diameter, by nearly three times from the apex; 

 basal segment of antenna unusually slender and curved, about half as 

 long as head, and as long as distance between them; antennal grooves 

 very feeble; with moderately fine anteriorly directed punctures sepa- 

 rated by one to two times their diameter; with dense but very fine 

 and rather indistinct ground sculpture. Pronotmn with vague impunc- 

 tate median band not outlined by series of punctures; punctures a 

 little finer than on head, usually separated by about twice their diame- 

 ter ; surface smooth, without ground sculpture. Elytra slightly shorter 

 and scarcely wider than pronotum, narrower than abdomen, closely 

 appressed; conjointly deeply emarginate behind; punctures obsoles- 

 cent, sometimes vaguely submuricate ; with dense but indistinct ground 

 sculpture. Male., with a circular fovea in middle sixth along apical 

 margin of fourth and fifth sternite, sixth and seventh transversely 

 impressed and smooth before base, eighth elongate but apex deeply 

 incised, the slit preceded by a narrow groove. Female.^ sternites not 

 modified. Length, 7 to 10 mm. 



Type locality. — Hispaniola, Loma Rucilla and vicinity in the 

 Dominican Republic; elevation 5,000 to 8,000 feet. 



Types. — Holotype and 13 paratypes, male, and 21 paratypes, female, 

 in the Museum of Comparative Zoology; 27 paratypes, male and 

 female, in the United States National Museum (No. 52505) ; collected 

 in June 1938 by Dr. P. J. Darlington. 



Records. — The following are the records known to me : 



Hispaniola: Dominican Repubijo, Loma Rucilla (Darlington, in M.C.Z. and 

 U.S.N.M.), ValleNuevo (Darlington, in M.C.Z. and U.S.N.M.). 



Specimens examined. — I have seen only the 62 types. 



Remarks. — This is a very distinct species because of the size of the 

 eye, the shape of the head and basal antennal segment, the sculpture, 

 and the male characters. Very little variation is exhibited by the 

 fine series examined. 



The specimens were taken in cloud forest presumably under ground 

 cover. 



XLVIII. Genus OPHITES Erichson 



Ophites Erichson, 1840. p. 627. 



Genotype. — O. versatilis Erichson (designated by Duponchel, 1841, 

 not Blackwelder, 1939a). 



