1935: The Durrells pack their bags and flee the gloom of England like a flock of migrating swallows. Their destination is the Greek island of Corfu, where the eccentric family takes up residence in a series of villas. Budding naturalist Gerald, the youngest of the brood, finds himself in paradise. For the island affords a multitude of fauna to be observed, studied - and (with varying degrees of success) domesticated. Soon the villas feature water-snakes in the bath, scorpions lurking in match-boxes, and a pair of irrepressible magpies who leave a trail of chaos and devastation in their wake...