Map7. Distribution of roe deer in Essex, 1965-1976.
these reports could be substantiated and it seems likely that they were further
examples of confusing roe with fallow or, at Patmore Heath, with muntjac deer.
The information on which the occurrence of roe deer near Maldon (TL70,
TL80) was recorded by Corbet (1971) cannot be traced by the Biological
Records Centre of the Natural Environment Research Council. These records
are in the same area as those for red deer and it would appear that an error in
the transcription of records has occurred.
It has been impossible to obtain a photograph of an Essex roe deer and so
Plate VII depicts one in Norfolk. This photograph is included to help readers
distinguish roe deer from fallow deer.
Sika Deer
Pre-1965 records
Wild or feral sika deer have been reported as occurring in Essex (John-
stone, 1946; Fitter, 1949) but no evidence has been found to support these
claims. In fact, Johnstone claimed that sika were present in a belt running
across England from Monmouth, through Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire,
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