A comprehensive natural-history survey of equatorial regions that explains the diversity of tropical climates and atmospheric systems—trade winds, monsoons, and violent storms—and examines landscapes from dense forests and mangroves to savannas, coral islets, and cultivated plantations. Chapters describe characteristic plants and their uses, insects and other invertebrates, reptiles, birds, and mammals, and consider ecological interactions and species adaptations. Human populations and their material cultures, agricultural practices, and commercial products are outlined alongside scientific observations, with numerous illustrations and plates supporting the descriptive and practical accounts.