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Psyche 
[June 
puzzle to entomologists and for nearly a hundred years their 
systematic position, method of propagation, food, etc., have re- 
mained a mystery. 
II. Historical 
In the year 1831 Perty described a peculiar beetle-larva 
which he called “Larva singularis” or “Larva qucedam et Java.” 
He seemed to be inclined to regard it as the larva of a necroph- 
agous rather than of a malacoderm insect and adds: “Vi deter- 
minandumest cujus imaginis haec larva sit.” 
In his “Introduction to the classification of Insects” (1839) 
Westwood mentions the same larva and refers it preliminarily to 
the Lycids. Furthermore he describes and figures a smaller 
larva with more nearly parallel-sided body, which he also con- 
siders to be a Lycid larva. 
Some years later (1841) Erichson refers to a similar larva and 
believes it to be a Lampyrid. This opinion was shared 20 years 
later on (1861) by Candeze. 
In 1887 or some 26 years later Kolbe discusses the “trilobite- 
larvae ’’and inclines to Westwood’s opinion that they are Lycids. 
A larva referred to in 1887 by Lucas with “mandibules 
grands, arquee robustes” and with “plaques lumineuses” from 
Siam is apparently a Lampyrid-larva of some kind. 
In 1899 Bolivar describes and figures two “trilobite-larvae” 
of the broader type, one from Borneo and another one from the 
Philippines under the title “Dos formas larvarias de lampirides.” 
Concerning their systematic position he seems to be in doubt. 
A figure of one was sent by Bolivar to Bourgeois, who in reply 
makes the following statements: “Quant a cette de Philippines 
elle est tout autre et je ne serais pas etonne qu’elle n’appartient 
pas au genre Lycus. Quoi qu’il en soit, cette larve de Philippines 
est de plus interessante et il serait fort a souhaiter que nous 
puissions etre edifies bientot sur les metamorphoses a quelle 
espece nous devons la rapporter.” 
An examination of Bolivar’s figures makes it clear that 
both larvae are of the “trilobite” type. The one from Borneo is 
obviously the most common lowland form, which has repeatedly 
been figured or described by various authors. 
