Among the earliest attempted documentations of the physical landscape of the land of the Bible, Tristram’s work approaches the subject with freshness and wonder. Having spent a period of time in the Holy Land, Tristram consulted with the recognized authorities of his day to establish the physical geography, geology, and meteorology of the country. An extensive cataloguing of the mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates of the land adds to the charm of this fascinating document. Tristram concludes with a botanical catalogue and a useful index of scripture passages referenced in the book. Scholars interested in the history of biology, as well as those researching the nineteenth-century lay of the land, will find this study of great interest.

Henry Baker Tristram (1822-1906) was a Canon of Durham Cathedral. Having begun traveling for health reasons, he soon took to it for recreation and research, becoming one of the English clergy-naturalists of the nineteenth century. Educated at Lincoln College, Oxford, Tristram came to be admired during his lifetime for his wide interests and keen mind.