Casey — Observations on the Staphylinidae. 421 



head, where they are most approximate, though nearly always 

 clearly separated. The anterior tarsi are dilated in all the 

 genera, but to a very variable degree, even within the same 

 genus, and the basal joint of the usually slender hind tarsi is 

 somewhat longer than the second as a rule. The mandibles 

 are grooved externally, short and arcuate in Olhius and 

 Othiellus and straight with arcuate tip in BaptoUnus and 

 Parothius. In the latter two genera the middle coxae seem 

 to be less completely contiguous than in Ofhius, being separ- 

 ated by a thicker longitudinal ridge. The body is parallel- 

 and moderately convex in form, with the head well developed 

 in all except Othiellus, where it is notably small ; the neck is 

 wide throughout, varying from two-thirds the width of the 

 head in Othiellus to one-half in Parothius. The antennae 

 are generally less densely clothed with fine pubescence beyond 

 the fourth or fifth joint than in the Xantholini, but have 

 longer sparse tactile setae and the basal joint is somewhat 

 shorter, rarely being more than a third as long as the re- 

 mainder. The frontal grooves are much less developed than 

 in the preceding subtribe and frequently more widely separat- 

 ed, when not obsolete, and the eyes are about equally devel- 

 oped throughout. All the genera have the basal angles of 

 the head rounded and the sides of the prothorax either paral- 

 lel or much less converging from apex to base than in the 

 Xantholini. The four genera before me may be distinguished 

 by the following characters : — 



Fourth jolQt of the maxillary palpi ahorter than the third aad evidently 

 narrower at base, acutely coaical inform and more or less compressed; 

 mandibles short, thick and arcuate 2 



Fourth joint not shorter than the third and generally much longer but of 

 nearly similar form, thick at base ana gradually acutely conical; 

 mandibles longer, straight externally, finely pointed, arcuate and 

 decussate at apex 8 



2— Body parallel, large in size, the frontal grooves obsolete, antennae 

 thick, with the second joint much shorter than the third, bothjobconical, 

 the anterior tarsi very strongly dilated and densely clothed with white 

 pubescence beneath; labrum truncate, deeply and narrowly cleft at the 

 middle; head very sparsely punctured toward the sides as a rule, with 

 the upper surface, as well as the prouotum and abdomen, very minutely 

 and closely strigilate in transverse wavy lines; prothorax broad, nar- 

 rowed but little toward base and with two discal punctures obliquely 



