Introduction 



29 



form, and especially Brathinus, with both these characters and ocelli 

 to boot, seem to me more primitive than the Scydmaenidfe and Silphidse, 

 with clavate antennae, often 10- or 9-jointed, that Ganglbauer puts first. 

 Also the method of counting the number of abdominal segments has 

 been questioned by Verhoeff , and if erroneous, as he thinks, would remove 

 the last reason for putting Staphylinidse before Silphidae. In reference 

 to Brathinus, Casey ' has urged its being placed in Omaliini on account 

 of its having the ocelli characteristic of that tribe of Staphyhnidae, 

 but it lacks so many of the other characters that I have placed it as a 

 family (following Leconte's earlier idea) near Leptinidae and primitive 

 Silphids like Pteroloma. For these few changes in Ganglbauer's treat- 

 ment I am responsible. 



The following table shows the diversity of abdominal, tarsal and 

 antennal structure in the Staphyliniformia which have led to the changes 

 that have been made in Leconte's system: 



It must be evident from this table how little value for separating 

 series the number of tarsal joints has, for every combination from eight 

 abdominal segments with fi\e tarsal joints, the most primitive known in 

 existing beetles, up to three abdominal segments with three tarsal joints, 

 nearly the most derivative known is included. The number of antennal 



• In letters, and Ann. N. Y. Acad. Soi. IX, 1897, p. 354. 



