The Natural History of Oxford-Shire,Being an Essay toward the Natural History of England.

Printed at the Theatre,Oxford.1677,Folio,old diced panelled calf gilt, rebacked,with engraved title,folding engraved map, and 16 engraved plates.

First Edition,born in Borden, Kent, England, 1640 and died December 13 – Borden, 1696 April 30,Plot was a British naturalist, Professor of Chemistry at Oxford University and the first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum.

He is known for looking for natural curiosities in several English counties, writing Natural History of Oxfordshire in which he described the fossilized femur of a giant (now known to be from the dinosaur Megalosaurus) and Natural History of Staffordshire, in which he describes a double sunset.

In 1677 he became a fellow of the Royal Society due to his exhibit of minerals, and in 1682 became the society’s Secretary and joint editor of the Philosophical Transactions. In the field of chemistry he searched for a universal solvent that could be obtained from wine spirits, and believed alchemy was necessary for medicine. After 1686 Robert Plot focused more on archaeology, but misinterpreted Roman remains as Saxon. He stressed the unusual, studied echoes to learn about air, mineral waters, and recognised types of earth in layers, but believed fossil shellfish were coincidental mineral crystallisations, and that some spring water must originate from the sea flowing through underground channels.