An auction house is selling an 18th century “sex manual” – which advises men to improve their performance by eating sparrows, parsnips and young pigeons.

Other parts of the 1720 book promising “the Secrets of Generation” reflect on pregnant women’s supposed longing to eat items such as coals, chalk and leather.

Jim Spencer, books and manuscripts valuer at Hansons Auctioneers, in Etwall, near Derby, said: “A century after women first won the right to vote in the UK, this book takes us back to very different times.

“It talks of man being ‘the wonder of the world, to whom all things are subordinate’. Meanwhile, women are painted as being prone to sexual indulgence.”

Mr Spencer added: “The first edition of this book was published in 1684 and it was as good as banned until the 1960s.

“There were several reasons for that.

“For example, it includes woodcut illustrations of ‘monsters’ that ‘are begot by Women’s unnatural lying with Beasts’ – an example being a woman ‘generating with a dog’.

“This is blamed on ‘filthy and corrupt affection’. But you have to bear in mind that this book was written when people were still being burnt for witchcraft.”

The book, which has an estimate of £80-£120, will go under the hammer on March 27.