(Page 9) 

 and therefore establishes this fifth free dorsal segment as a fixed starting 

 point for the counting. This cuticle-suture is presumably of some use for 

 the animal in spreading and folding of the wings. The eight dorsal segment 

 =the sixth free, is in the ^of many species distinguished by special sex- 

 characters. The true ninth segment is ordinarily reduced to small, narrow, 

 often styliforra side-parts, which are distinct in most of the larger speci- 

 es ( Staphylinus . Philonthus , ^^uedius et al.), but most often indistinct in 

 the smaller. This segment very rarely occur broader or more fully developed 

 (see Lathrobium , when abdominal tip is not drawn in) or even entire (as in 

 the 6 of Xantholinus ) . The tenth dorsal segment forms the apex of abdomen. 

 Together with the reduced ninth segment the tenth segment in dead or not well 

 prepared specimens of Staphylinids easily shrink, so that both often become 

 indistinct. - Of the original ventral segments of abdomen, the first, i.e. 

 that, which as ventral segment v.'ould oorrespond vith the first dorsal seg- 

 ment, has entirely vanished, absorbed in the metathorax. Also the second 

 ventral segment is, in most of the Staphylinidae groups concealed, only 

 visible in some of the Oxytelines; the ninth has vanished, leaving only 7- 

 8 distinct ventral segments of that with the dorsal segments corresponding 

 typical number. The next-last ventral segments (see Fi:^. 8) are not infre- 

 quently distinguished by special sex-characters in the S' . In the follow- 

 ing descriptions the ventral segments are counted as they are found, regard- 

 less of the routine of dorsal segments, from the thorax and dlstad as first, 

 second, third ventral segments etc., and as a rule the first free dorsal 

 segment will then agree with the first ventral segment as dorsal and ventral 

 part of same abdominal segment. - Abdomen is as a rule sharply side-margined, 



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