Puffins are included William Daniell's menu, which was written in 1736 Flickr/U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Ortolan songbirds drowned in Armagnac is just one of the recipes listed in the 18th century cookbook due for auction next Wednesday.

Written by William Daniell, the 77-page book was created for George II in 1736. It is being sold by Dominic Winter auctioneers in Cirencester, Gloucester.

According to Daniell, the ortolans had to be drowned in Armagnac, plucked, roasted and then eaten whole on a spoon, to be fit for consumption at Kensington Palace.

Also included in the book were roasted sea and garden birds, such as puffins and blackbirds.

Quail and rooster were also on the menu, as were frogs and boar heads. Mutton and roasted pig are among the more "normal" recipes listed.

The book took 18 months to compile, before it was given to Daniel Durant - the clerk of the royal kitchen. Generally, the manuscript is a list of the daily meals served for the King, Queen and their guests. Each day's date is marked at the top of each page.

There are even small splatters of grease, where it was lying open as the chefs cooked.

It is estimated to be sold for £8,000 on January 29th.

Chris Albury, a spokesperson for the auction house, said the book gave an incredible insight into past royal eating habits.

"Some of the food eaten back then isn't for the squeamish ... It seemed that any bird that could fly and be shot at was fair game for the dinner table.

"Our tastes have changed over time and you would never consider eating a garden bird now."

He added: "The manuscript opens with dinner for Her Majesty Queen Caroline alone at Kensington on June 1, 1736 and continues until December 1, 1737... There are some missing periods which include Queen Caroline's illness and death in November 1737.

"But her demise didn't put the Royal family off enjoying their Christmas dinner a month later... His Majesty was served bisk squabs, chicks friccasy, capon grill, cold turkey, shoulder of mutton, plumb broth, minced pies.

"And for supper there was mutton and chicks cold, veal fille broiled, oysters in lemons, spinnage and eggs, stewed lettuce, herring salad, jelly pippins and peepers which I believe are frogs."