This book gives an extensive account of 'the wonderful and mysterious forms of animal and vegetable life' encountered by Arthur Adams during the voyage of HMS Samarang in the years 1843 to 1846. Adams was the Assistant Surgeon on this expedition led by Captain Sir Edward Belcher which was charged with surveying Japan and South East Asia including, amongst others, the Islands of the Indian Archipelago and the China Seas. His beautifully descriptive personal observations combine with the formal identification of each species and sub-species to give a detailed vision of the natural history of the countries visited.