466 NOCTUID MOTHS 



dark outlined, kidney-shaped, very near the orbicular; post- 

 iiieiiial line Innalar, doubJe, the proximal line well-detined 

 except at costa, from about '6/ 5 costa, strongly bent outward 

 to SC^, angled inward opposite the disc, somewhat angled 

 outward on R" and M\ thence slightly incurved to hind 

 margin; a broad, diffused snbterminal shade from costa 

 to M^, strongly excurved from costa to E.^ where it is angled 

 inward, excurved from IV to M% followed by a fine, twice 

 dentate greenish-white mark in fold ; the interneural dark 

 spots broad and conspicuous ; fi'inge slightly paler than wing 

 but darkened at the veins. Hind icing drab on proximal third 

 and from l^efore middle to termen, leaving a slight semi- 

 hayline bar between the two dark areas, which hardly reaches 

 to behind M" ; fringe white. Underside of both wings 

 drab, with proximal half and veins some^vhat paler; fringes 

 as above. 



i^rt. Duht, 3000 feet— 1 9. 



The smgle 9 upon which tliis genus is erected has proved 

 more difticult to place than any other Noctuid in these 

 collections, and it is only after a prolonged and earnest effort 

 to place it in some previously described genus that. I have 

 at last regretfally decided that it is necessary to erect for 

 it a new genus. 



The weakness and, especially, the position of E^ of the hind 

 wing suggests the possibility that parthenia may belong to 

 the Trilinae {Acronyciinnc) \ but upon closer examination E^ 

 appears to be weakly tubular ; moreover, the palpus is too 

 long for a noriual Trifid and the cell of the fore wing is too 

 short. This last character, although it does not appear to 

 have been employed by any previous author, seems to me 

 an important secoudary point in distinguishing the Trifinae 

 from the (Juadrifinac, the cell averaging distinctly longer in 

 typical Trifniae than in typical Quadrifinae. From its 

 aspects, P. parthenia might well belong to the Eutelinae, but 

 the frenulum is not simple ; moreover, in the Eiitelinae E^ 

 of the hind wing is almost always strong, from close to angle 

 of cell. The genus appears nearest to the South American 

 genus Diopa ; on this account and on account of its stout 

 build and general facies 1 have decided to place it provisionally 

 ui the Ophidcriiiae rathei- than in the Erastrianae, to which 

 latter subfamily it should perha])S be referred by the subfamily 



