180
THE ESSEX NATURALIST
years the populations locally have risen and fallen as the disease
has affected different areas. Odd pockets of the animals have
survived, built up their numbers, and then been wiped out by the
disease. This is still happening to date, and there are evidently
no completely resistant strains of Rabbit as yet. In Epping
Forest myxomatosis was seen mainly in the northern regions,
some patches of woodland in the south of the Forest being ap-
parently free from the complaint. On Skipper's Island, the Rabbit
was very common before myxomatosis, then absent. A few
droppings were seen in 1958, and the animal appears still to be
scarce there. Any recent records of Rabbits suffering from the
disease would be welcome. It would also be of particular value
to have records of Rabbits occurring plentifully in the county
with no trace of myxomatosis.
Brown Hare: Lepus europaeus occidentalis de Winton.
The hare seems to have increased after the decimation of the
Rabbit population by myxomatosis. It is said that male Rabbits
kill the young leverets, and this could well account for the in-
crease. The Hare occurs throughout Essex and is very common on
the arable land in the middle and north of the county. Large
numbers of Hares were shot on farmers' shoots over the winter
of 1961-1962, and a day's bag was often in the region of four or
five hundred. Such large numbers were most often killed in north
Essex. The Hare is recorded from Skipper's and Foulness Islands
and Epping Forest, and the coastal marshland of Essex where it
is said to swim across the creeks and saltings.
Rodentia
Bank Vole: Clethrionomys glareolus britannicus (Miller).
The history of the recording of this species shows the effect of
systematic trapping on what is known of the distribution of the
species. In the early volumes of The Essex Naturalist there are
very few records of the species, and Laver (1898) stated that it
was "by no means common in Essex according to my experience".
However, the county does hold the honour of having provided the
type specimens from which the species was first described. In
contrast to this state of affairs, since commencing to use the Long-
worth live traps, over 130 records of this species have been
obtained.
The Bank Vole is recently recorded from Parndon Wood,
Easton Lodge (near Dunmow), Romford, Southend, Chingford,
Abridge, Havering, and Margaretting. Foulness Island has pro-
vided a record, but not Skipper's Island, although it is recorded
from nearby Marsh House. This would appear to be one of the
commonest small mammals of Essex, especially in the central and
southern regions. The Bank Vole is essentially the species of the
hedgerows and the more thickly overgrown woods, and thus the
copses of south Essex provide the necessary habitat. The habitat
of the Bank Vole and that of the Long-tailed Field Mouse do not