The volume, that is, the blank volume, was presented to Donald Cameron by Alexander Corbit, 5 May 1859; and Donald may have written the first few pages. But most of the volume, according to a note (folio i) by Archibald Campbell, Secretary of the Music Committee of the Piobaireachd Society, appears to have been written by Colin Cameron; the last piobaireachd is described as having been 'noted by Colin Cameron, Nov. 22nd 1869' (folio 77 verso).

The sources of the first 46 tunes are not known, but according to Archibald Campbell "they correspond, many if not most of them, with what was taught to me by Donald's son Alexander, and by the latter's pupil John MacDougall Gillies". The remaining 40 tunes are derived from Angus Mackay's Seaforth Manuscript and, probably, one of Duncan Campbell's manuscripts.