tributed by Qvist (1971), probably correctly, to increased human disturbance
and an increased number of animals killed in road traffic accidents. Regular
surveys of wild fallow on an estate near Brentwood since 1968 support the idea
that excessive human disturbance may cause a decline in the deer population
(Chapman, unpublished observations).
The preponderance of deer in north and west Essex is readily explained.
Firstly, the only way that deer can spread into Essex is from the west and north:
the industrialised Lea Valley to the south-west, the river Thames in the south,
the Coast to the east and the Stour valley in the north-east provide effective, if
not insuperable, barriers. Muntjac, roe and red deer have all spread into Essex
from adjoining counties by these routes. Secondly, all the deer parks which have
given rise to populations of fallow deer, except St. Osyth Priory Park, are
situated in north and west Essex. Thirdly, much of east and south Essex is
unsuitable for deer, either because of extensive industrial development such as
occurs on Thameside or because of the exposed marshland. The main London-
Colchester road and railway, which run diagonally south-west to north-east
through the county, also appear to provide some kind of barrier because,
despite the presence of apparently suitable woodland, deer are rarely found
south of this line. Deer originating from those in Weald Park are widespread to
the north and west of Brentwood but few are seen across the road and railway,
in the extensive woodlands to the south of the town.
The general impression obtained during the past year is that all four
species of deer are still spreading through the county. There have been recent,
but as yet unconfirmed, reports of roe deer being seen on the northern Essex-
Hertfordshire borders (T. James of the Hitchin Museum, personal com-
munication). The resident red deer population in north-west Essex has recently
(1976) spread towards Braintree and muntjac are still being reported from new
localities. We can probably look forward to an even more widespread
distribution of deer in Essex in the future.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A survey such as the Essex Deer Survey could not have been accomplished without the willing
help and cooperation of very many people. In particular, I would like to thank David Corke, Bob
Cowlin and my wife, Norma, who were at the inaugural meeting in January 1965 and have continued
to support the Survey to the present day: a period of 12 years.
J. R. Caldwell, B. D. Eastcott, R. J. P. Eden, R. Embleton, C. W. Hutchings, B. R. Perrett, C.
Taylor and the Hon. V. Weir acted as Local Recorders and did Stirling work in ferreting out in-
formation on deer in their areas. K. E. Hoy provided many of the early Survey records for the
Epping Forest area and made arrangements for the meeting held to count the deer on estates
bordering the Forest in January 1966.
The following people provided records and their contributions form the basis of this report: R.
H. Allen, A. E. Ashman, K. Ashman, Miss J. Atkins, P. Baldwin (P.Ba), E. T. Banks, G. Bar-
tholomew (G.Ba), A. F. Batty, A. M. Beach, P. Beale, T. Bishop, R. H. Billington, M. Bland, R.
T. Brooks, G. Brown, Mrs Bryde-Williams, Mrs E. Bugg, R. A. Burrow, R. C. Butler. J. A.
38