LONG EXTINCT SPECIES
The polecat and the pine marten became extinct in southern England at
the end of the 19th century. Buxton (1898) gives the last recrods of pine martens
as 1853 (Loughton) and 1883 (Ambresbury Banks). Of the polecat, he says it was
not uncommon thirty years ago (i.e. in the 1860's) but is 'now rare if not ex-
tinct' . There are no 20th century records for either species in the Forest.
DORMOUSE
The dormouse was common at the end of the 19th century (Laver, 1898). It
became rare in the Forest early this century, the last record being in 1943 by
Dent (Corke and Harris, 1972). In recent years the dormouse has proved to be
quite common in many Essex nature reserves — normally only being found
during coppicing work or when bird boxes are cleared out. Since neither of these
activities occur in the Forest, it is not impossible that dormice survive un-
detected. Although dormice are normally associated with coppice woodland
they can live in the canopy of larger trees. In this habitat they would be almost
impossible to find.
REFERENCES
BUXTON, E. N. (1898). Epping Forest. Edward Stanford (fifth edition), London.
CHAPLIN, R. E. & CHAPMAN, D. I. (1964). A preliminary report on some fallow deer (Dama
dama) from Epping Forest. Essex Naturalist 31: 148-155.
CHAPMAN, D. I. (1977). Deer of Essex. Essex Field Club.
CORBET, G. B. & SOUTHERN, H. N. (1977). The Handbook of British Mammals. Blackwell
Scientific Publications.
CORKE, D. & HARRIS, S. (1972). The Small Mammals of Essex. Essex Naturalist 33: 32-59
COWLIN, R. A. D. (1972). The Distribution of the Badger in Essex. Essex Naturalist 33:1-8.
FITTER, R. S. R. (1945). London's Natural History. Collins.
HARRIS, S. (1974). The History and Distribution of Squirrels in Essex. Essex Naturalist 33.64:78.
LAVER, H. (1898). The Mammals, Reptiles and Fishes of Essex. Essex Field Club.
SCOTT, D. (1960). The Badger in Essex. Essex Naturalist 30: 272-275.
SEEAR, M. (1964). Notes on the Mammals of Essex, Essex Naturalist 31: 176-187.
QVIST, A. (1971). Epping Forest (revised edition). Corporation of London.
WHITEHEAD, G. K. (1964). The Deer of Great Britain and Ireland: An Account of their History,
Status and Distribution. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
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