StaphylinulcB of the Amazon Valley. 275 



tubular elongation of the apical abdominal segments which 

 is one of the most striking and easily-perceived characters 

 oi Kcliiaster. 



1. Echiaster hoops, n. sp. Testaceus, abdominis apice 

 nigricante ; capite orbiculato, antennis breviusculis, cla- 

 vatis, subtus oculis dilatatis. Long. corp. (abdomine 

 extenso) 1^ lin. 



Antennse about as long as head, yellowish ; 1st and 2nd 

 joints short and stout ; 3rd joint small, rather shorter and 

 much more slender than 2nd ; 4 — 9 each slightly shorter 

 than its predecessor, the penultimate joints rather strongly 

 transverse ; 11th joint rather short. Maxillary palpi Avith 

 the 3rd joint broad and short. Head broader than the 

 thorax, and even slightly broader than the elytra, the 

 eyes occupying a large portion of the side and encroaching 

 greatly on the under surface ; the hind angles rounded, the 

 vertex not gradually narrowed but the neck very abrupt ; 

 the surface opaque, very densely and indistinctly, though 

 not very finely punctured. Thorax only about half as 

 broad as the elytra, longer than broad, the greatest width 

 in front of the middle, much narrowed towards the front 

 and a good deal toAvards the base ; the surface even, the 

 colour yelloAvish, the punctuation similar to that of the 

 head. Elytra distinctly longer than the thorax and rather 

 darker in colom*, very densely and more rouglily and 

 distinctly punctured than the head, quite opaque. Hind 

 body much pointed towards the extremity, similar in 

 colour to the elytra, with the terminal segments blackish, 

 densely punctured, and with a short subsquamose golden 

 pubescence. Legs pale yellow% 



Tapajos ; nine individuals, Avhich show me no external 

 sexual distinctions. 



2. Echiaster fumatus, n. sp. Testaceus, abdominis 

 apice nigricante ; capite, elytris metasternoque obscuri- 

 oribus; capite orbiculato, antennis breviusculis, clavatis. 

 Long. corp. 1^ lin. 



This species is excessively closely allied to E. boops, 

 but it is slightly more elongate ; it has the elytra and 

 metasternum infuscate, and the head also is more obscure 

 in colour, and differs a little from that of E. boops in its 

 form, it being rather longer in proportion to its breadth, 

 so that the eyes do not occupy so large a portion of the 



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