386 On the Staphyliniclse of Japan. 



Antennse largely developed, being both elongate and stout, 

 third joint elongate, greatly longer than the second, fifth to 

 eleventh extremely dull, tenth a good deal longer than broad ; 

 palpi yellow. Head small, very shining. Thorax large, 

 rather broader than the elytra, remarkably polished, and with 

 only a few distant very fine punctures ; the hind angles pro- 

 ject very slightly backwards. Elytra longer than the thorax, 

 the hind margin at the outer angle oblique, not rounded, the 

 surface very shining, with deep and distinct punctuation. 

 Hind body with coarse, close, elongate, deep punctures, from 

 each of which springs a fine rather elongate hair. 



In the female the last dorsal plate is trifid, the central lobe 

 being small and minutely emarginate at the extremity, and 

 separated by a rather broad interval on each side from the 

 lateral teeth, which are broad and short and project a little 

 further back than the central lobe ; the last ventral plate is 

 rounded in the middle and very slightly notched, the hind 

 margin being set with very coarse setaj ; on each side of the 

 notch the lateral angles form on each side only an extremely 

 short projection. 



The above description is made from two females, one from 

 Oyayama, one from Nikko, agreeing closely ; besides these I 

 have five other individuals before me which may be either 

 varieties of this remarkable species or may represent two or 

 more closely allied distinct species, viz. a female from Nikko, 

 which has the punctuation of the hind body and also of the 

 elytra less coarse, the prolongations of the last dorsal plate 

 slightly longer, the lateral teeth of the last ventral a good deal 

 longer ; in other resjiects this agrees with the type. Another 

 female from Nikko is considerably smaller (8 millim. long) 

 and narrower, and has the punctuation of the hind body much 

 finer ; the prolongations of the last dorsal plate are evidently 

 shorter than ia the type, but the lateral tooth of the last ven- 

 tral is slightly longer. Another female, from Subashiri, is 

 still smaller (only <o\ millim. long), and has the punctuation 

 of the hind body a good deal coarser, the prolongations of the 

 last dorsal plate evidently shorter than in the type, and the 

 tooth of the side of the last ventral very obscure. There are 

 also two males present from Nikko, one similar in size and 

 form to the type female, but with the hind body more densely 

 punctate ; the last dorsal plate is at the hind margin a little 

 prolonged in the middle, so as to form a well-marked promi- 

 nence, rounded behind, but minutely emarginate in the middle 

 of the rounding ; the last ventral plate is very deeply cleft, 

 the sides, however, not being prolonged as laciniee, the sides 

 of the fissure within its margin deeply and broadly impressed; 



