Final answer:
A metes and bounds legal description is a method of land description and must always return to the 'point of beginning' to complete the legal description of the property.
Step-by-step explanation:
A metes and bounds legal description refers to a system used to describe land, property, or real estate that is part of a cadastral system originating during colonial America. It is used to provide a detailed description of land boundaries and measurements. The description uses physical features of the local geography, along with directions and distances, to define the boundaries of a parcel of land. Such descriptions begin at a well-marked starting point, called the "POB" or point of beginning, and follow the perimeter of the plot, eventually returning to the starting point, thus "closing" the boundaries of the parcel and creating a complete legal description.
The metes and bounds system is characterized by its tendency to reference natural landmarks such as trees, boulders, or streams which were commonly used during the 17th and 18th centuries. This created a unique pattern resembling a huge jigsaw puzzle in property maps, particularly in the Eastern United States. The nature of these descriptions makes the system very specific to the local terrain, and a metes and bounds description must always return to the point of beginning to be valid.