Which type of legal land description uses natural landmarks and measurement directions to describe a property's boundaries?

• A. Rectangular survey system
• B. Recorded plats (lot and block)
• C. Metes and bounds
• D. Lot and parcel numbers

Answer: (C)

Describing a parcel's boundaries using natural landmarks and measured directions is metes and bounds. This method starts at a fixed point of beginning and traces the perimeter by courses and distances along lines that follow natural features or established monuments, such as a river curve, a distinctive tree, a rock, or a man-made marker, until it returns to the starting point. Bearings or directions (like north, south, or diagonal angles) and precise distances accompany each boundary segment, which is why natural landmarks help define where one boundary ends and the next begins.

This differs from the rectangular survey system, which uses a standardized grid of townships and sections to describe boundaries rather than natural features. It also differs from recorded plats or lot-and-block systems, which describe property as lots within a subdivision on a map, using lot and block identifiers rather than natural landmarks.