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Roe
Far and away the rarest deer breeding in the
county and appear to be restricted at present to
the north-west. An elegant, shy animal it is
smaller than red or fallow, being about 2 feet
3 inches at the shoulder. The summer coat is
a rich, foxy red, which changes to a dull grey
in winter, with a white caudal patch and no
visible tail. Only the young (kids) have
spots, and these disappear within a few months of
the birth in May/June. Some roe have a white
patch on the throatorchin The white caudal patch
can be flared out like a powder puff when the
animal is alarmed. The males (bucks) have
antlers which are very much
smaller than those of red
and fallow. They have a
central stem with a mature
animal having one tine
forward and one tine back.
From time to time larger
heads are grown, but 9-10
inches would be a good
length. Roe can be seen
in small family groups or
singly and will not be
seen in large herds grazing
in open fields.
Muntjac
The smallest of the deer in Essex, being only
18 inches at the shoulder and thus smaller than
many dogs. The coat is dark brown in summer
and more greyish in winter and unspotted except
in the fawns, which can be born at any time of
the year. Muntjac carry their heads low, unlike
the other species, and this gives them a hump-
backed appearance. When alarmed, their tail