(Page 5) 

 called, though less fortunately, "neck-shield". The posterior margin of 

 pronotum joins or overlaps the base of mesothorax. In several Staphylinids 

 the pronotum is without side-carina (as in Stenus ) . otherwise its dorsum 

 is as a rule separated by a sharp side-carina from the more or less strong- 

 ly deflexed or inflexed side margins ( epipleurae ) , (see Fig. 5)» - On ven- 

 tral side of prothrorax the fore-margin of the forebreast-bone ( presternum ) 

 is united to ventral side of the head, while its posterior part covers the 

 thorax between the fore-coxae. The fore-margin is occasionally (as in 

 Tantholinus ) developed into a moveable plate (gullet-shield) which covers 

 the easophagus. Back of the fore-coxae the prothorax in most of the Staphy- 

 linidae_ groups is horn-like (chitinized) and thereby well protected, but in 

 the first three large groups : Aleocharini , Tachyporini and Staphylinini 

 this part of ventral side of the prothorax is only clothed with a thin 

 cuticle. As a protection for this the fore-coxae in these groups are bent 



somewhat distad, (Page 6) so that they in connection 



with the femora of the fore legs cover this soft paxt. By lifting the fors- 

 coxae up and bend them foreward, or remove them entirely the spiracula of 

 prothorax in the species of said groups are seen, one on each side ( stigma 

 prothoracicum ). bounded by a dark chitinized riag. The prothoracic side- 

 plates : episternum and epimera are in the ssune groups not developed, smd 

 only in few genera ( .^edius . Philonthus at al.) a margin of the epimeron, 

 a small triangular plate of horny substance ( operculum) appears from under 

 the pronotal epipleuron {Fig. 6^ and can sometimes partly cover the other- 



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