Stajiliylinidce of the Amazon Valley. 337 



the two Amazonian insects. These, moreover, are dis- 

 cordant in appearance inter se ; the scidpture and some 

 of the details of Q^. anceps recalling Sunius, and I 

 think it quite possible that a real affinity in that direction 

 will be detected. The genus Procirrus is one of the 

 most remarkable of the StaphylinidcB, from the fact that 

 the very elongate front coxte are entirely exserted, there 

 being only a small circular opening at the extreme front 

 angle of the thorax for their insertion. This peculiarity 

 appears to result from an unusual and extreme development 

 of the ento-thorax, and from certain parts thereof, that 

 are usually membranous, becoming horny. Certain other 

 members of the Pinophilini {Pinopkilus latipes, e. g.) 

 offer us the existing intermediate stages of this transform- 

 ation ; and it appears to me probable that the gradations 

 of metamorphosis of this part will offer the most important 

 clue to the classification of the membei'S of the group. 



1. (Edodactylas errans, n. sp. Rufo-brunneus, an- 

 tennis pedibusque testaceis; dense punctatus, thoi'ace 

 elongate, subnitido ; antennis brevioribus. Long. corp. 

 2f lin. 



Mas: abdomine segmento 7° ventrali ante apicem l^evi, 

 margine posteriore late emarginato; segmento octo pro- 

 cessubus duobus deorsum curvatis. 



Antennae quite yellow, short, moderately stout ; 3rd joint 

 considerably shorter than 2nd, the apical joints scarcely 

 longer than broad, the 11th truncate. Maxillary palpi 

 yellow, the last joint large, securiform. Head small, nar- 

 rower than the thorax, closely punctured, a little shining, 

 especially along the middle. Thorax rather long and 

 narrow, narrower than the elytra, narrowed towards the 

 base, closely and moderately coarsely punctured, a little 

 shining ; a narrow longitudinal space in front of the base 

 in the middle obscurely continued forwards, shining. 

 Scutellum very small. Elytra at the sides about as long 

 as the thorax; a little emarginate at the extremity, so that 

 along the suture they are shorter than the thorax; densely 

 and deeply, rather coarsely punctured, the very narrow 

 interstices shining. Hind body quite cylindric, each 

 segment narroAver at base than at the extremity ; rather 

 closely punctured, with elongate pubescence ; the apical 



TRANS. KNT. SOC. 1876. — PART II. (jUNE.) Z 



