The contents are as follows.

(i) Copy letter of Donald MacPherson to the Reverend Dr Mackintosh MacKay, Laggan, 1828: on cat-names (folio i);

(ii) Copy letter of Donald MacPherson to Ewen MacPherson of Cluny (acephalous) (folio ii);

(iii) Dissertation on origin of Clan Chattan (folio 1);

(iv) Historical and philological notes connected with above dissertation (folio 20);

(v) Essay on origin and nature of chiefship (folio 66);

(vi) ‘A brief Narrative of the Origin and pedigree of the Clan Chattan in general, and of the Family of MacPherson in particular. Copied from papers in possession of Macpherson of Cluny’ (folio 72);

(vii) Genealogy of MacPhersons of Cluny from Douglas’s ‘The baronage of Scotland’, page 354. With remarks by Angus MacDonald of Inch (folio 92);

(viii) ‘A Genealogical Account of the Family of Macpherson of Pitmian being the second principal family of the Clan Pherson, and of the Branches of that Family; &c. Being the second part of the Genealogy of the Clan-Pherson. By Gilbert Macpherson, Gent. Argyle. March 1767. Copied from a Manuscript in the possession of Mr Euan Macpherson, son of Dougal Macpherson, Brother to John of Mucoula…” (folio 106);

(ix) Correspondence and notes of William C Macpherson, Blairgowrie, and A Macpherson Grant on Pitmean genealogy, 1931-1932 (folio 126);

(x) List of 72 MacPherson families in Badenoch ‘since 1763’; watermarked 1853 (folio 136);

(xi) ‘Address of one hundred and two Chiefs Heritors and Heads of Clans in the Highlands of Scotland to King George the 1st on his Accession to the Throne, which by court intrigue was prevented from being delivered to his Majesty. The consequence was that the Clans, in resentment of this supposed neglect, raised a rebellion in the following year 1715”. With the names subscribed. From original in museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. Written by ‘D M P’, London, 1792, for John Macpherson, musician, Cluny. With a related fragment in same hand, part of list of heritors endorsed ‘Given by the Earl of Mar at Antwerp to a Gentleman with instructions to communicate it after the death of all concerned in the Rebellion. Delivered to the Earl of Buchan July 1783’ (folio 138);

(xii) Account of a visit to ‘The Holy Places, the pretended caus of the present War’. Written on backs of sheets of type samples (folio 141).