Coleoptera of the Canary Islands. 189 



The present Dolycaon appears to be very closely allied to the 

 D. Illyricus — with which, indeed, judging from the diagnosis, I 

 should have united it, had 1 not been informed by Dr. Kraatz that 

 its head and prothorax are somewhat more lightly punctured, and 

 its antennas a little shorter, than is the case in that species. It is 

 not impossible, therefore, tliat it may be but a geographical phasis 

 of the D. Illyricus ; though, as I have no type of the latter for 

 comparison, 1 will not venture to record it absolutely as such. It 

 is not uncommon in the island of Lanzarote, and is by no means 

 peculiar to the decayed Euphorbia-stems ; though since it is very 

 frequently to be found in such positions, I have no option but to 

 include it in the present Paper. Indeed it more often, perhaps, 

 occurs beneath stones than elsewhere — particularly when the earth 

 is moist after the winter rains. Of the "var. /3" I have taken 

 but a single specimen, and that in the region of El Monte of 

 Grand Canary. It is just possible that it may be specifically dis- 

 tinct ; nevertheless, since its differential characters are so slight, 

 I have thought it scaroely safe to regard it as such on the evidence 

 afforded by a solitary example. 



48. Dolicaon ruficoUis, n. sp. 



D. apterus, subcylindricus, niger, nitidus ; capite prothoraceque 

 sat parce punctatis ; hoc, elytris, abdominis segmentis ultimis 

 duobus antennisque testaceo-rufis ; palpis pedibusque rufo- 

 testaceis. 

 Long. Corp. lin. 3|. 



Habitat Fuerteventuram (et ins. parvam propinquam " Lobos" 

 dictam), in truncis Euphorbiarum necnon sub lapidibus, rarissimus. 

 Species statura omnino prsecedentis, sed paulo major protho- 

 raceque testaceo-rufo (baud nigro). 



The D. ruficoUis differs from the preceding species mainly in 

 being somewhat larger, and in having its prothorax pale-rufous 

 (i.e., concolorous with the elytra), instead of black. Other mi- 

 nute characters are just perceptible, but are more easily seen than 

 described. The only two specimens which have come under my 

 observation were captured by myself — one in the east of Fuerte- 

 ventura, during January, 1858; and the other within a rotten 

 Euphorbia-stem on the little island of Lobos, in the Bocayna 

 Strait, on the 28th of March, 1859. Its habits, therefore, would 

 appear to be the same as those of its ally. 



