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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 August 2017
We present deep galaxy number counts and colours of K – band selected galaxy surveys. We argue that primeval galaxies are present within the survey data, but have remained unidentified. There are few objects with the colours of an L∗ elliptical galaxy at a redshift of z ≈ 1, in contradiction to standard luminosity evolution models. We present K – band photometry of the objects in a spectroscopic redshift survey selected at 21 < B < 22.5. The absolute K magnitudes of the galaxies are consistent with the no-evolution or pure luminosity evolution models. The excess faint blue galaxies seen in the B – band number counts at intermediate magnitudes are a result of a low normalization, and do not dominate the population until B ≈ 25. Extreme merging or excess dwarf models are not needed at z < 1.