524 INSECTA MADERENSIA. 



398. Stenaxis Lowei, Wall. (Tab. XIII. fig. 2.) 



S. angusto-elongata senescenti-viridis pubescens, prothorace supra, antennis, palpis pedibusque plus 

 minusve rufo-testaceis, elytris subpunctato-rugxilosis, singulo costa una longitudinali subobliqua 

 notato. 



Long. Corp. lin. 3-3|. 



Habitat in floribus Jladerse, inde a lOOCy s. m., restate non infrequens : iu Madera boreali prsedo- 

 minat, qua inter flores Dahlia ad Sanctam Annam mense Junio a.d. 1850 copiosissime depre- 

 hensi. 



Insectum pulchritudine egregium, et Rev''" Dom" Lowe ob gratias amicissime oblatas a me dedl- 

 catum. 



S. elongated and narrow, slightly acuminated posteriorly, and (except on the prothorax, which is 

 nearly glabrous) very pubescent. Head green with a brassy tinge, very lightly punctured, and 

 a little elevated between the antennfp. Prothorax above bright rufo-testaceous, the sides and 

 under portion, and an obscure (usually more or less obsolete, and always centrally-interrupted) 

 transverse band, a little behind the front margin, dark brassy-green ; almost impunctate. Elytra 

 shining brassy-green, and densely rugulose (but scarcely punctured) ; somewhat gaping behind, 

 and with a veiy elevated oblique costa, or nerve, extending from either shoulder towards (though 

 hardly reaching) the apex. Antenna, palpi, mandibles and legs more or less testaceous, — all of 

 them being generally a little dusky towards their extremities. 



Found in considerable profusion throughout certain districts of Madeu*a during 

 the summer months, making its appearance about the beginning or middle of 

 June. It is more general in the north and centre of the island than in the south, 

 and seldom ranges below the altitude of 1000 feet. In Senhor Louiz Acciaioly's 

 garden at Santa Anna I captiu-ed it in the greatest abundance, in 1850, from out 

 of the flowers of the common yellow Dahlia, which it seemed to prefer to those 

 of every other plant, — secreting itself at the bottom of the long, ciu'led jietals, 

 each one of wliich (during the period of the insect's existence) might l)e usually 

 observed, on examination, to harbour a specimen. In this manner I have frequently 

 collected fi'om a single Dahlia almost as many examples of the S. Loicel as there 

 were petals, — and in positions moreover where a week before not the vestige of 



ginous. The terminal joint of the antenncs narrowed, or subulated, immediately beyond the middle, 

 — having the appearance, at first sight, of being composed of two articulations. 



It is apparently closely allied to the D. concohr of Brulle, from the Canary Islands, — with typical 

 specimens of which, in the Koyal iluseuju of Berlin, it lias been compared by my friend Dr. H. Scbauin. 

 Apart from minor dificrences, however, it is very much smaller than that insect ; nevertlieless it is suffi- 

 ciently akin to it to be of the greatest interest geograpliically, — supplying as it does another connecting 

 link between the Canarian faima and that of the Salvages (which it has been already shown is but just 

 removed, in general character, from the iladeiran one). It was discovered by T. S. Leacock, Esq. on tlie 

 " Great Pitou"; and is liitherto unique. 



