9
Another important role for the group is public
education and to this end talks on bats have
been given to various groups including Round
Tables, Housewives Register, Natural History
Societies and Woman's Institutes. Unfortunately
bats still form the most maligned group of
mammals and a lot of opinions are based on
old wives tales or Hollywood horror films.
The truth is different and it is hoped that
some of the long established prejudices can
be removed. Perhaps then, the population of
Essex bats will rise.
For further information please contact:
John Dobson
16 The Westerings
Bicknacre
Danbury
Essex Tel Danbury 4408
JOHN DOBSON
THE DRAGONFLIES OF ESSEX - A PROGRESS REPORT*
I last wrote about the state of dragonfly-
recording in Essex in the Autumn 1982 edition of
this Bulletin. Since then I have received many
more records from observers from (almost!) all
over the County, and have myself carried out
many field trips in search of dragonflies. Of
course, one of the problems in mapping the
distribution of any group of organisms is
estimating how far your maps are really mapping
only the distribution of active field naturalists
My sense - though I would be hard-put to prove
it - is that with this season's survey results
coming in thick and fast we are at last getting
a reliable picture of dragonfly distribution
in the County. My purpose in this article is to
offer a few provisional comments on these results