I'm currently reading Travels Through France and Italy (1766), which is great. I like the bigotry, but have a softer spot for the ornithology:
'The neighbourhood of this fort, which is a smooth sandy beach, I have chosen for my bathing place. The road to it is agreeable and romantic, lying through pleasant cornfields, where there is a rabbit warren, and great plenty of birds so much admired at Tunbridge under the name of wheat-ears. By the bye, this is a pleasant corruption of white-a—se, the translation of their French name cul-blanc, taken from their colour; for they are actually white towards the tail.'
'Another proof of the indigence which reigns among the common people, is this: you may pass through the whole South of France, as well as the county of Nice, where there is no want of groves, woods, and plantations, without hearing the song of blackbird, thrush, linnet, gold-finch, or any other bird whatsoever. All is silent and solitary. The poor birds are destroyed, or driven for refuge, into other countries, by the savage persecution of the people, who spare no pains to kill, and catch them for their own subsistence. Scarce a sparrow, red-breast, tom-tit, or wren, can 'scape the guns and snares of those indefatigable fowlers. Even the noblesse make parties to go à la chasse, a-hunting; that is, to kill those little birds, which they eat as gibier, or game.'
I suppose the second extract is as much bigotry as ornithology.
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