Staphylinidce of the Amazon Valley. 157 



North America, I here enumerate twelve species from 

 the Amazons, of Avhich nine are new. 



The genus has no sufficient characters pointed out to 

 distinguish it from the great genus Philonthus ; Erichson 

 was in doubt as to whether he should accept it as distinct 

 therefrom, and indicated, as the only character peculiar 

 to it, the arming of the front and hind femora with seta- 

 like spines. This character, however, differs in certain 

 species in the two sexes, as will be seen from my descrip- 

 tions of B. decipiens and B. sctiger. Species possessing 

 this character are moreover by no means confined to the 

 NcAv World, for I have several undescribed Philontlms- 

 like species displaying it from Papua and the Malay 

 Archipelago. I have, therefore, only used this generic 

 name as a matter of convenience, to avoid increasing the 

 enormous number of species already registered under the 

 generic name of Philonthus. 



1. Staphylinus h(eniorrhoidalis, Fab. 

 Parti, Ega, Pebas. Numerous specimens. 



2. Philonthus xanthopterus, Nord. 



Ega, St. Paulo. Also found at Barreiras de Janarape, 

 Rio Solimoes, on the 9th January, by Dr. Trail. 



3. Belonuchus Batesi, n. sp. Depressus, niger, niti- 

 dulus, abdomine dense pimctato, apice rufo ; prothorace 

 serie dorsali 4-pimctato. Long. corp. 4^ lin. 



Mas : abdomine segmento 7" ventrali apice anguste tri- 

 angulariter inciso. 



Very similar in appearance to B. hcBmorrhoidalis. 

 Antennfe with the basal joint pitchy, the rest black, 

 3rd joint slightly longer than 2nd, 5 — 10 transverse, 5th 

 broader than the 4th. Palpi pitchy. Head large, as 

 broad as the elytra, black and shining, with a row of six 

 punctures in fi-ont, placed one on each side, close to the 

 eye, and two pairs near to each other in the middle, these 

 separated by a depressed line ; behind this front I'ow of 

 punctures is a second irregular row across the middle of 

 the head, and there are also some other scattered punc- 

 tures at the sides and back, but there is no raised line at the 

 hinder angle. Thorax longer than broad, the front angles 

 greatly depressed and rounded, the sides strongly sinuate, 

 the base truncate, but the hind angles rounded, on each side 



