Linnean Species of Staphylinus. 47 
Sp. 5. Staph. politus. Under this name Linnzus confounded 
several distinct species of the genus Philonthus of Leach, regard- 
ing them as varieties of the same species. On referring however 
to the Linnean Cabinet we find that the only individual which 
agrees with his observation, ‘ Differentia specifica essentialis 
consistit in thorace decem punctis excavatis, sed vix absque lente 
conspiciendis,” is the specimen, the pin of which is stuck through the 
specific label, and which appears to me to be identical with the 
Staph. eneus of Gravenhorst, Gyllenhal and Erichson. It is nearly 
five lines long. The head is large and square, with the sides 
deeply punctured behind the eyes ; the anterior margin of the head 
has a large central impression, with a much smaller one on each 
side half way between it and the eyes; the inner and anterior 
angle of the eyes having one deep and several smaller impres- 
sions. The disc of the thorax has two posteriorly diverging rows 
of five punctures on the anterior part of the disc, the two anterior 
ones being close together on the anterior margin of the thorax ; 
the first of these two being placed nearer to the lateral angles, 
and not strictly forming one of the longitudinal series of punc- 
tures. The insect thus agrees with the Linnean character quoted 
above, whilst at the same time it must be referred to Gyllenhal’s 
8rd subdivision of the genus, ‘ thoracis seriebus dorsalibus 
4-punctatis ;” although, were not this explanation given, it would 
appear to belong to his 4th subdivision, ‘“ thoracis seriebus dor- 
salibus 5-punctatis.” The antenne are entirely black, as are also 
the legs. This description will be seen to accord with Gyllenhal 
and Erichson’s description of St. e@neus, except that they do not 
mention the large impressed puncture in the middle of the front 
of the face. 
The Staph. politus of the Swedes and Germans is quite distinct, 
having an oval head with the basal joint of the antenne red 
beneath. Mr. Stephens, in his catalogue, gives the Staph. politus, 
** Mus. Linné,” under the name of St, puncticollis, Kirby,* as 
identical with the @neus of Gravenhorst, and similis of Marsham ; 
but in his I]lustrations he describes it as having the head broad and 
orbiculate, which will not agree with the Linnean specimen. He 
moreover describes another species, placed next to the puncticollis, 
under the Linnean name of politus, but having the head ovate and 
narrower than the thorax. He adds, indeed, that the head is 
* Mr. Kirby has rejected the name of politus for the species retained in ‘‘ Mus. 
Linné,” as well as that of eneus, given to it by Gravenhorst, the latter name 
having been previously used by De Geer for a species of this genus closely 
allied to, if not a variety of, the St, laminatus of Creutzer. 
