--for fans of Mr. Durrell (and I am one), I also highly recommend his book Three Tickets To Adventure, which details an animal collecting expedition to South America in the 1950's, back when there was much more undeveloped wilderness and many more native populations still living in their original conditions. An excellent snapshot of several cultures at a particular point in time--and of the amusing hazards of trying to get specimens for zoos and wild animal parks in the days before captive breeding programs became feasible.