Arizona is not only a desert. It is one of the most topographically varied and scenic areas in North America and contains extensive forests occurring up to timberline elevations (11,000-11,400 feet) plus a bit of alpine tundra above timberline on the summit of San Francisco Mountain (to 12,670 feet).The variety and beauty of the landscapes of Arizona have been remarked upon by naturalists who have traveled to this state from many parts of the World. This introduction to the Arizona vertebrate animal check lists provides an illustrated account of these natural settings for the homes of animals and plants in the state, and a discussion of the systems employed by biologists to classify them.