Natural history specimens. 17th-century illustration of various fungus and plant specimens. At upper left is a form of cup-moss or lichen. Several types of fungus are at top right and across upper centre, including a bracket fungus and a stinkhorn mushroom. At lower left is a form of wheat. At lower centre is an illustration of a rotten piece of wood from a crab tree. The cartouche at lower right contains a dedication by the author of the book, English naturalist Robert Plot (1640-1696), first Professor of Chemistry at the University of Oxford, and the first keeper of the Ashmolean Museum. The dedication is to Sir John Wyrley of Hampstead. Artwork from 'The Natural History of Staffordshire' (1686).