SQUIRRELS IN ESSEX
77
since Red Squirrels also persisted for a long time in suburban areas of
Colchester; one can only assume that under these artificial conditions
there was a suitable supply of food and cover, so that competition with
the Grey was less intense. This is at variance with Shorten's view,
expressed above, that Red Squirrels in suburban areas were merely
'overflow' animals.
This late appearance, and early slow rate of spread, of the Grey Squirrel,
and the long period of coexistence of the two species in some areas, is both
interesting and different from the situation seen in most counties outside
East Anglia. For example Benham (1953) found that Dorset was almost
completely colonised by Grey Squirrels in the six-year period 1945-51,
and there the average period of coexistence between the two species was
only three years. Despite our unusual situation the Red Squirrel is now
unlikely to persist in the county, and the Grey Squirrel is found nearly
everywhere, only one or two areas of unfavourable habitat remaining
uncolonised.
Acknowledgements
I am most grateful to the many people who have contributed records to
this survey—I regret that space does not permit a personal mention of all
these helpers. Messrs M. Seear, D. R. Scott and D. Corke collected and
collated records during their terms of office as Essex County Mammal
Recorder.
I am particularly grateful to the late J. D. Norris, who made details of
the 1971 MAFF Squirrel Survey in Essex available for my use, and to the
Colchester and Essex Museum, who allowed me free access to their records.
The Conservators of Epping Forest kindly supplied details of the
numbers of Grey Squirrels killed in Epping Forest. The Essex Country-
side and A. C. Wheeler allowed their map to be reproduced in this paper.
R. A. D. Cowlin supplied valuable information and drew the original
of the Essex map on which the distribution records are plotted.
Finally I am most indebted to Dr A. M. Tittensor, who critically
reviewed the manuscript, brought a number of important points to my
notice, and allowed me to incorporate some of his opinions in the manu-
script.
References
Benham, E. (1953). The distribution of squirrels in Dorset 1945-1951. Proc.
Dorset Nat. Hist. Archaeol. Soc. 74: 121-132.
Beven, G. (1957). The Distribution of the Grey Squirrel in the London Area
(1953-1956). Lond. Nat. 36: 6-11.
Corke, D. and Harris, S. (1972). The Small Mammals of Essex. Essex Nat.
33(1): 32-59.
Cowlin, R. A. D. (1972). The Distribution of the Badger in Essex. Essex Nat.
33(1): 1-8.
Dent, G. (1937). Nature-notes from Harlow, etc. Essex Nat. 25(4): 209.
Firmin, J. (1971). How many red squirrels are there left now? Essex County
Standard 22.1.1971: 18.