What type of legal description is exemplified by starting at a point near a brook?

The correct answer is metes and bounds because this method of legal description relies on physical features of the geography, such as rivers, brooks, and trees, to establish property boundaries. It begins at a specific point, known as the point of beginning, and describes the perimeter of the property in relation to measurable distances and directions. The phrase "starting at a point near a brook" emphasizes the use of identifiable landmarks in the surrounding environment to outline the property boundaries, which is a hallmark of the metes and bounds system.

In contrast, lot and block descriptions are typically used in subdivisions and are based on a map that divides land into lots. Benchmark refers more to a fixed point of reference used for measuring elevation rather than defining boundaries, and rectangular descriptions are based on a government survey system that divides land into rectangles, which lacks specific reference to natural features.