2i8 Natural History Bulletin. 



It is proper to say in conclusion, that in bringing out the 

 monograph, the plan of the enterprise, the descriptions of 

 the species, and the delineation of all the plates have been the 

 work of the senior author, while the preparation of the matter 

 for the press, its final redaction, belongs to the junior. 



The family Pselaphid^, with which is here included the 

 Clavigeridae, ranges next to the Staphylinidse from which it 

 differs by the prosternum invariably narrow, the large meta- 

 sternum and b}^ the palpj always four-jointed. The abdomen 

 has five or six flexible corneous ventral segments, the dorsals 

 not, or very slightly, movable upwards but to a certain extent 

 retractile; the middle coxee are rounded, the posterior trans- 

 verse; the tarsi two or three-jointed. In the Staphylinidae 

 the prosternum is variable in form, the metasternum smaller, 

 the palpi four or five-jointed, the abdomen with seven or eight 

 freely movable segments. The middle coxse are conical, the 

 posterior variable in form, and the tarsi four or five-jointed 

 except in the Oxytelini where they are three-jointed, and 

 which group presents the nearest affinities to the Pselaphidas. 



On the other hand this family approximates the Sc3'dm^ni- 

 dce, and shows also some relations with the Silphidse. The 

 Scydm£enid£e differ chiefly in the conical, distant posterior 

 coxce, the longer elytra and the five-jointed tarsi. 



The Clavigeridas bearing in general the same characteristics 

 as the Pselaphidas, are distinguished by their imperfect 

 embryonic forms, the antennae with six or less articulations, 

 and by the structure of the abdomen. They are here treated 

 as a subfamily. 



The Pselaphidaj present the following characters: mentum 

 corneous, ligula membranous, with large paraglossas, labial 

 palpi hardly visible. Maxiil£e partly membranous and ciliated, 

 their palpi always four-jointed, usually long. Antennee monili- 

 form or clavate, not more than eleven-jointed. Prothorax with 



