The fonds consists of the records of the Zoological Society of Montreal for the entirety of its existence, from 1964-2016. These records were generated in the pursuit of the Zoological Society’s goal to enhance public awareness of wildlife conservation issues through speakers, film screenings, field trips, special events, and large projects. The records also reflect the Society's charity to zoological, ecological and conservation causes. The administration of the Society, its interactions with its members, and its projects and events are documented through minutes, correspondence, communications, published articles, financial documents, reports, and proposals. The Society’s interests and activities are also reflected through books, objects from their offices, audio and video materials, and 5243 photographs, most of which are stored in photo albums. The fonds also contains the records of the Zoological Society of Canada, which were created to administer the Canadian Society similarly to the Montreal Society, with the goal of expanding the organization’s reach nationally.

The fonds is comprised of the following series: 1) Activities (1965-2013); 2) Administration (1964-2016); 3) Artifacts (1980-2004); 4) Books (1967-1991); and 5) Newsletters (1967-2016).

This collection consists of materials dated from approximately 1850-1981, but predominantly from 1913-1940, relating to Dr. Casey Albert Wood’s research, writing, correspondence, and personal interest concerning ornithology, vertebrate zoology, memoir and family history, Emma Shearer Wood and Blacker Library collection development, ophthalmology, politics, and current events. Materials relate chiefly to Wood’s “Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology” (1921-1956), falconry (1930s), his unpublished memoir (1930s), the development of McGill University’s Emma Shearer Wood and Blacker Libraries (1918-1941), the history of ophthalmology (1925-1936), “Fundus Oculi” (1911-1934), his travels and research expeditions studying birds in their natural habitat (1920-1940), political interests, and correspondence relating to these activities and subjects.

There are approximately 2902 incoming and outgoing pieces of correspondence including letters, postcards, notes, telegrams, and cards. Series 1) Research and writing, contains the largest volume of correspondence relating to “the Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology.” While Series 2) Research trips, contains the largest portion of photographs. Other materials in this collection include research notes, manuscripts, page and galley proofs, book and article reprint publications, postcards, artwork, glass plate negatives, book plates, palm leaf manuscripts, artefacts, printed ephemera, clippings, journals, and administration and financial records relating to Wood’s publications or the Emma Shearer Wood and Blacker Libraries.

There are gaps within this collection relating to geographic locations, as not all locations Wood is known to have visited are represented or are only minimally represented. Asian countries, such as China or Japan, are not represented in this collection. While geographic locations that are prominent within the collection are Fiji, Sri Lanka and India.

The series consists of 1) research and writing (ca. 1850-1956); 2) research trips (1920-1937); 3) scrapbooks (1887-1946); 4) collection development (1918-1941); 5) published books (1907-1981); 6) artefacts (191-?, 1920-1937); and 7) glass negative plates (1924, 1927, 1930, 1956).

The collection contains the Holmes Gold Medal, photographs, certificates, a poem, letters, newspaper clippings and memoirs.

Fonds documents Dr. Antonio Cantero's professional activities, especially his cancer research. The fonds contains correspondence, notes, reports, printed matter, slides, photographs and films.

Fonds documents Dr. H.E. MacDermot's medical-historical activities. The fonds contains newspaper clippings, manuscript notes, photographs, lectures notes, and a draft of The MGH, the Years of Change.

The fonds illustrates Dr. Cone's work as a neurosurgeon and consists of correspondence, letters, articles, newspaper clippings, obituaries, photographs, slides, research material and notes, course material, annual reports, manuscripts, typescripts, annotations, published and unpublished manuscripts written by Dr. Cone, printed copies of articles, and patient files.

The collection contains a photo album of classmates and Annie Hall, and three diplomas McGill MD, CM 1891, Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1891, and the Quebec College of Physicians and Surgeons 1892.

Collection consists chiefly of photographs of Harold N. Segall, Assistant Professor of Medicine at McGill (1949-1960) and President of the Canadian Heart Foundation, Montreal Cardiac Society, and the Quebec Heart Foundation, as well as his parents, brother Jerry Segall, friends, and colleagues. Photographs depict Segall's childhood and early career. There are also some photographs and textual records relating to Segall's association with professional societies and Montreal hospitals, namely the Canadian Heart Association, Montreal General Hospital, and the Jewish General Hospital.

Fond contains solely glass slide negatives. Many slides depict the McGill campus between the years 1918-1921, including the Strathcona Medical Building, as well as the Royal Victoria Hospital. Other subjects include street scenes taken in Montreal after the end of the First World War and the Lockharts' family life during the early 1920s.

Fonds consists of photographs and other items that document the early career of Isadore Hirshberg while studying medicine at McGill University from 1909-1914, including 60 album-sized photographs, a framed group photograph of Hirshberg and Montreal General Hospital residents, Hirshberg's framed provincial medical certificate, and two certificates of residency. Subjects include Hirshberg and classmates; campus and student life; photographs of staff, doctors, and nurses in hospital settings, including two photographs of John McCrae at the Alexandra Hospital; and various views of McGill medical buildings and hospitals, including the new medical building at the time of construction in 1910, the Royal Victoria Hospital around 1910, and the Western Hospital in 1913. Two photographs features the medical school janitor James "King" Cook, a fixture of the school and a favorite with the students from the late 19th through the early 20th centuries. His wife was Frank Buller's housekeeper during Osler's time. Fonds also includes a large framed group photograph, Resident Medical Staff/Montreal General Hospital/1914-1915 by Wm. Notman & Son and Hirshberg's Quebec medical license issued by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Quebec and dated July 1914. Descriptions of the photographs where present are in Hirshberg's hand except in cases in which there were additional descriptions in the album. These were copied in pencil on the verso of the related photograph.