

Rei ision of the STEAIXI of America North of Mexico. 



/ / 



Insects of the 



Family Staph yliiiidae, order Coleoptera. / o^ 

 By Tiios. L. Casey, Lieut, of Eng'rs. 



MEMBER OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF FRANCE. 



The present revision has been written in order to carry our knowl- 

 edge of the immense family Staphylinidae one step further toward a 

 state of approximate completeness, and to close a gap which has long 

 been left untouched, on account of the great number of species in- 

 volved, and because of their uniformity, small size, and apparent 

 monotony. Large collections of material have been accumulating for 

 the last fifty years, until the number of species represented has become 

 truly immense, and is yearly increasing; it is, therefore, in addition, 

 to make at least an attempt to classify and describe such species as 

 we now have represented in our cabinets, not only to save them from 

 prolonged oblivion by reason of possible destruction, but to render 

 easier the task of keeping up in future with the collectors, that the 

 pi-esent work is presented to the entomological world ; not, however, 

 without many misgivings on the part of the author. 



The filling of the above-mentioned gap in the series will, in con- 

 junction with a work of similar scope upon the Philonthi, already 

 published by Dr. Geo. LI. Horn, of Philadelphia, render our knowl- 

 edge of the North American Staphylinidae outside of the Aleocharini, 

 much more satisfactory. It is true there are in such genera as Tro- 

 gophlceus, Bledius, and many others, a large number of species still 

 undescribed, but the genera have for the most part been investigated, 

 and proper methods of classification generally indicated, so that the 

 task will in these cases consist of the mere description of new species 

 and their interpolation in the tables. 

 Stenini. 1 



