A Naturalist in Palestine

A Naturalist in Palestine is the richly observational travel memoir of Victor Howells, first published in 1957 by Philosophical Library. Over 180 pages, Howells chronicles his nine-month journey through Palestine in 1947, just before the 1948 partition. His narrative combines the attentive eye of a naturalist with a sensitive travel writer’s soul, offering a textured portrait of the land, its wildlife, and its human inhabitants on the brink of dramatic political change.

Howells doesn’t merely catalogue flora and fauna — he gives readers a full sensory experience: descriptions of insects, birds, reptiles and mammals are interwoven with reflections on climate, geography and landscape. The book is illustrated with his own drawings and photographs, making it both a scientific record and a deeply personal account. His map of the region, plus his notes on seasonal variation, migratory behaviour and species distribution, adds practical value for naturalists and historians alike.

A Naturalist in Palestine remains compelling for nature lovers, historians of the Middle East, and anyone interested in observing Palestine at a pivotal historical moment. Howells’s dual perspective as naturalist and traveler captures not only what the land was but also what it was becoming — a place of urgent change, beauty and ecological significance.