Casey — Observations on the Staphylinidae. 201 



slightly transverse; prothorax not distinctly wider than long, the sides 

 broadly, obtusely angulate at apical third, thence rather strongly con- 

 verging and nearly straight to the base, the surface with a small trans- 

 verse bifoveolate impression before the basal margin; elytra transverse, 

 fully one-balf wider but only about a fourth longer than the prothorax, 

 the suture scarcely at all longer than the latter, impressed as usual 

 behind the scutellum; abdomen broadly arcuate at the sides, as wide as 

 the elytra posteriorly, the basal impressions deep, coarsely and 

 densely punctured, the fourth tergite also impressed and more coarsely 

 punctate along the basal margin; three basal joints of the hind tarsi 

 uniformly and rapidly decreasing in length. Male with the apical mar- 

 gin of the sixth ventral ciliate and beveled throughout the width, also 

 sinuate. Length 2.75 mm. ; width 0.58 mm. California (Siskiyou Co.). 



cnrtipennis n. sp. 



Prothorax transverse, rounded at the sides anteriorly, thence distinctly, 

 rectilinearly narrowing to the base, very much wider than the head.. 17 



17 — Body stouter, linear, dark piceous, the abdomen blackish, the three 

 basal segments paler, moderately shining; legs pale, the antennae fus- 

 cous, rufous toward base; punctures very small, close-set, granuliform, 

 the pubescence inconspicuous; head small, rounded, the eyes small, 

 prominent, the impression of the vertex minute and feeble; antennae 

 gradually and distinctly incrassate, the second joint much elongated and 

 longer than the first or third, the outer joints slightly transverse; pro- 

 thorax about a fourth wider than long, impressed along the middle 

 from apex to base, the impression gradually increasing in width pos- 

 teriorly ; elytra about two-fifths wider and scarcely a third longer than 

 the prothorax, the suture about a fourth longer than the latter, impressed 

 behind the scutellum ; abdomen nearly as in cw'tipennis but perceptibly 

 narrower than the elytra even posteriorly, less closely punctulate than 

 the anterior parts; legs slender, the three basal joints of the hind tarsi 

 rapidly decreasing in length. Male with a small simple triangular sin u~ 

 ation at the apex of the sixth ventral plate nearly as in cnrtipennis, about 

 a third as wide as the segment and three times as wide as deep. 

 Length 2.9 mm.; width 0.63 mm. Oregon (Lane Co.). abdncens n. sp. 



Body more slender, smaller in size, shining, testaceous in color with a 

 blackish cloud at the abdominal apex ; legs and antennae pale, the latter 

 fuscous toward tip; punctures minute, subgranuliform and only mod- 

 erately close-set, the pubescence inconspicuous; head nearly as in abdu- 

 cena, the antennae notably longer, extending fully to the middle of the 

 elytra, the three basal joints as in abducens, the subapical longer, scarcely 

 wider than long; prothorax nearly similar but with the impression 

 obsolete behind the apex; elytra not well developed, transverse, about 

 a third wider but scarcely perceptibly longer than the prothorax, the 

 suture about equal in length to the latter, the post-scutellar impression 

 deep and distinct; abdomen narrower, very much narrower than the 

 elytra at every point, the sides very feebly arcuate, the width only 

 slightly greater posteriorly, the deep basal impressions densely and 

 coarsely punctured; legs very slender, the hind tarsi almost four- fifths 

 as long as the tibiae, with the four basal joints decreasing uniformly 

 and rapidly in length, the second and fifth subequal; claws long and 

 very slender as In the preceding: sixth ventral broadly rounded at apex 



