ITS ANIMALS. 77 



in limb, and, after one stare of surprise, made off at its 

 best pace into the cover. They have since been fre- 

 quently seen, and though some have occasionally wan- 

 dered beyond the limit of the Forest, they are hospitably 

 entertained by the neighbouring proprietors. Some of 

 the does at any rate, on July 4, 1884, had fawns at 

 their sides. The roe are less gregarious than most 

 other kinds of deer, and, unlike the red and fallow- 

 deer, which herd together in considerable numbers, 

 they keep in pairs, or at most in small parties of three 

 or four. They are of a bright reddish-brown in sum- 

 mer, changing to a dull gray in autumn. About a 

 third of the size of the fallow-deer, their horns are not 

 palmated and smooth as are those of that animal, but 

 are branched and pointed like those of the red -deer, 

 only on a smaller scale. 



Hares are found throughout the northern part of the Forest 

 in moderate numbers. That well-known master of 

 hounds, i\Ir. H. Vigne, who has kept harriers in the 

 neighbourhood for fifty -five years, occasionally himts 

 them. With this exception they enjoy a quiet time of 

 it as long as they remain in this sanctuar}^ 



Rabbits are in no great numbers, but enjoy a wide range, 

 as may be observed whenever snow lies on the ground. 



Badger. I understand that one of these animals was killed 

 on the Hill Hall estate twenty years ago, and another 

 more recently. Owing to their nocturnal habits, it is 

 difficult to say whether they are now extinct or not, but 

 I believe that the conditions which now prevail in the 

 Forest are favourable to their existence, and I hope to 

 settle the question by introducing some more before long. 



The Fox, the largest of our Forest beasts of prey, is welcome 

 here to such pheasants and rabbits as he can catch. He 

 does not often show himself, and the hounds do not 

 trouble him more than once or twice in the season, nor 

 does he yield them many trophies. They are often found 

 sleeping in the daytime in the crown of some oak pol- 

 lard. .Several litters of culis are annually produced in 

 the deep earths near Monk Wood. 



The Polecat was not uncommon in this district twenty years 

 ago. As he preys on all other animals which he can 

 catch, whether fur or feather, the gamekeeper preys 

 upon him. He is consequently now rare if not extinct. 

 As there is no game preservation, in the ordinary sense, 

 in Epping Forest, but both the game and their natural 

 enemies are equally welcomed, I hope that the polecat 

 will return and multiply. 



