some new Coleopterous Insects. 45 the genus Doliops (D. curcuUonides), and greatly resembles that insect in size and form ; but the thorax has marks, or lines, instead of spots. Its colouring is more brilliant. VII. On the Linncean Species of Staphylinus, a Genus of Coleopterous Insects. By J. O. Westwood, F.L.S. &c. [Read 5 Oct. 1840 ; 1 March, 1841.] My attention having been directed by Dr. Erichson of Berlin (the author of a very valuable work upon the family SUfphylinidce) to several of the species of that family described by Linnasus, and preserved in the Linnaean Cabinet of Insects, with the view of clearing up the synonymy of such species, I have extended my examination to the whole of the twenty-six species described by the great Swede, including several species in addition to those of which Dr. Erichson requested my opinion. Sp. 1 . Staphylinus hirtus is the Emus hlrtus of Leach ; .^^a-phylinus hirtus of most continental authors. Sp. 2. Staph, murinus is a species of Staphylinus (subgenus Trichoderma, Steph.) The Linnaean specimen is nearly ^ of an inch long (" Insectum inter majores, non maximos," Linn.) It is the St. murinus of Olivier, 3, 15, pi. 6, fig. 51, 6, and Panzer, pi. Q)Q, fig. 16. By Fabricius, and all other English and foreign authors, it is given under the name of Staph, nehulosus, Fabr. The Staph, murinus of Fabricius, Marsham, Stephens, Erichson, &c., is a smaller species. De Geer has confounded both under his first species of Staphylinus, but has figured the true St. murinus. Sp. 3. Staph, maxillosus. Under this name Linnaeus confounded two distinct species, namely, the Creophilus maxillosus of Kirby, and the Goerius olens of Leach. From the short specific character given in the F. Su. and the Syst. N. it would appear that Linnaeus intended the former insect as the type of the species ; but the description given in the former work, " Hie maximos inter nostros est. — Elytra atra in quibusdam cineritie laevi nebulosa," as well as the figure of Geoffroy and description of Ray, referred to by
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