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and shown that the species is widespread and common com-
pared with 1898 - although there haue been worrying
declines ouer the last ten years in some areas.
Laver knew only the red squirrel and today we haue only
grey. The change ouer has been chronicled in detail
by Stephen Harris in his paper in the Essex Naturalist.
The small mammals are the same now as they were a hun-
dred years ago - although the founders of the Essex Field
Club had not at that time learnt to recognise the yellow-
necked mouse as different from the wood mouse. A few
years ago when Stephen Harris and I summarised the status
of small mammals in the Essex Naturalist we concluded
that all species were surviving well - even the dormouse
and harvest mouse, once thought to be in danger.
The same cannot be said of the carnivores: the otter is
now extinct in Essex as far as we know. The polecat and
the pine marten were on the verge of extinction a hundred
years ago and haue now been lost from living memory in
Essex. The introduced mink is spreading and may help
replace this loss. The other fur-bearing introduction -
the coypu - is still present in some parts.
Not counting the marine mammals and the bats, Essex now
has 27 species of mammal compared with 26 when Laver wrote
his 1898 memoir. But why should we ignore the bats, seals
and whales? Thanks to Government, rather than amateur,
research plenty is known about marine mammals. The meeting
on 21st November will be a chance to hear about some of
this.
But our knowledge of bats is a disgrace. A national decline
is feared and we haven't even a clue as. to how many species
live in Essex. A survey of bats is an urgent priority for
the Essex Field Club at the start of its second century.
DAVID CORKE