MAMMALS 



that the badger was not extinct in the Epping 

 district when Mr. Buxton liberated some in 

 1886. 



In 1842 there were some badgers' earths 

 or burrows on the sides of the hill near the 

 woods at South Bemfleet. 



In Benton's History of Rochford Hundred 

 (i. 197), is a record of one being captured in 

 1841 on Foulness Island, and another on New 

 England. Another was unearthed at Asheld- 

 ham Hall in May, 1 891 (Essex County Chronicle, 

 May 29). In 1894, eleven were captured 

 near Braintree (London Standard, May 17). 

 One was shot in Brooke's Wood, Stisted, 

 early in May, 1897 (Essex County Chronicle, 

 May 14, 1897). 



7. Otter. Lutra lutra, Linn. 



Bell Lutra vulgarts. 



Some years ago this was a very rare animal 

 and seemed approaching extinction, but lately 

 it has become much more common in all 

 parts of the county. Most Essex rivers 

 are now haunted by otters, and they are also 



to be found in the reed beds and fleets of 

 the marshes. 



8. Common Seal. Phoca vitulina, Linn. 

 Occurs sparingly on all parts of the Essex 



coast, but is not seen every year. Properly 

 speaking all the seals taken on the shores of 

 this county can only be considered as stragglers. 



9. Hooded Seal. Cystophora cristata, Erxl. 

 Mr. W. B. Clark records (Zoologist, 1847, 



p. 1870) the capture of a specimen of this 

 seal in the Orwell. It is now in the Ipswich 

 Museum. As the Orwell empties itself into 

 Harwich Harbour we are entitled to place 

 this seal in our catalogue of the Essex fauna, 

 although its normal habitation is within the 

 Arctic Circle. 



10. Grey Seal. Halichterus gryphus, Fabr. 



In the Annah and Magazine of Natural 

 History for 1841 is a record of the capture of 

 an example of this seal in the Colne. The 

 specimen is now in the Cambridge Anatomical 

 Museum. 



RODENTIA 



1. Squirrel. Sciurui leucourus, Kerr. 



Bell Sciurus vulgarts. 

 Common throughout the county. 



2. Dormouse. Muscardinus avellanarius, Linn. 



Bell Myoxtu avellanariu. 

 The distribution of this animal in Essex, 

 as throughout England, is very unaccount- 

 able. In some parts of the county appa- 

 rently suitable to its habits it is not found. 

 In others of exactly similar character it is 

 common. Generally it may be said to be 

 found in Essex where oak and hazel abound, 

 or where there is sufficient woodland or over- 

 grown hedgerow to protect it. 



3. Brown Rat. Mus decumanus, Pallas. 

 Much too abundant. 



4. Black Rat. Mus rattus, Linn. 



Not uncommon in those parts of the 

 county bordering on the docks. It is a 

 question whether all these are not importa- 

 tions. Probably extinct in the inland parts 

 of Essex. 



5. House Mouse. Mus musculus, Linn. 

 Abundant everywhere. 



6. Long-tailed Field Mouse or Wood Mouse. 



Mm syhiaticus, Linn. 

 Abundant everywhere. 



7. Harvest Mouse. Mus minutus, Pallas. 



Until the last three years this mouse had 

 been frequent throughout Essex. The close 

 cutting of the stubble has been assigned as 

 a cause of the present infrequency of it, but 

 this can scarcely be the case as the closely 

 cut stubble has been the rule here for years. 



8. Water Vole or Water Rat. Mtcrotus 



amphibius, Linn. 

 Bell Arvicola ampbibius. 

 Common wherever there are streams or 

 pools. Black varieties occasionally are found. 



9. Field Vole. Microtus agrestis, Linn. 



Bell Arvicola agrestis. 

 Abundant in all grass lands. 



10. Bank Vole. Evotomys glareolus, Schreber. 

 Bell Arv'uola glareolus. 



Does not appear to be very frequent in 

 Essex, although it was from this county that 

 Yarrell obtained the first British specimen 

 recorded. Probably it may be much more 

 common than supposed if all voles captured 

 were examined more carefully. 



1 1 . Common Hare. Ltpus europaus, Pallas. 

 Bell Lepus timiJiu. 



Formerly very frequent, but now in some 

 districts approaching extinction in consequence 



257 



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