The two parts of the volume were probably bound together in the 1830s.

The contents are as follows:

(i) Lists, covering history, geography and natural history, of Sibbald`s own works together with manuscripts in Scotland, England and France. Some of the descriptions are very detailed. (Folio 1.)

(ii) Two copies of a report by Sibbald on the manuscripts (except those on medicine) of Sir James Balfour of Denmilne, 1698. This was commissioned from him by Lord Fountainhall, Lord Rankeillour and Sir James Dalrymple, who formed a committee appointed by the Faculty of Advocates to consider whether the Faculty should purchase the collection. Sibbald follows the arrangement of the sale catalogue (‘A Catalogue of curious manuscripts … collected by Sir James Balfour …’), initially expanding the entries greatly, but later simply repeating them. (Folio 128.)