The collection consists of documents amassed by Roderick Mackenzie. Among the Masson manuscripts there are other series of letters; as well as journals kept by North-Westers and various business documents. Some of this material exists as originals; others are contemporary copies - the George Keith letters for example are contemporary copies on paper watermarked 1827. The collection also includes some duplicate texts - contemporary copies or later nineteenth-century copies that in some cases represent edited versions of the texts. Samuel Wilcocke's account of the death of Benjamin Frobisher exists in a draft original (or contemporary copy) and in a late nineteenth-century clean copy. Of course Benjamin Frobisher did not die in the dramatic circumstances as recorded by Wilcocke, but peacefully in Quebec City in 1821.

Greeley's papers comprise 15 letters, and the original typescript, with handwritten corrections of Chapters 11-18 of Arctic Discoveries.

These papers comprise a fair copy, for the press, of "Gale on Redeemable Annuities", 1816, as well as copies of letters to his son concerning the supplement to his "Treatise on the Nature and Principles of Redeemable Annuities", 1817. Apparently neither treatise was published.

This subseries consists of 11 volumes, correspondence files, and a box of notecards dated from 1921-1956 relating to Wood's publication “An Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology” published in 1931 and collection development within the Emma Shearer Wood and Blacker Libraries at McGill University. The volumes and files contain correspondence, handwritten and typed annotated manuscripts, proof sheets, the publication, notecards listing recipients of the publication, prints, printed ephemera, clippings, financial and administrative records, book reviews, and McGill Library catalogue listings related to the works within “An Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology.” Additional professional projects are also represented in the subseries including “Coloured Plates of the Birds of Ceylon,” the Passing of John III, and Wood’s translation of Benevenutus Grassus’ de Oculis.
There are 1313 incoming and outgoing correspondence letters, telegrams, and cards; the largest volume in the collection. The correspondents are located internationally and include public, academic, government, and army libraries; museums, clubs and societies, literary journals, publishers, etc.. Some individuals and companies addressed include Lillian Bates, William Henry Mousley, Gerhard R. Lomer, W. W. Francis, Robert de Resillac Roese, S. R. Burrell, Robert Blacker, Miss Hanington, Elizabeth E. Abbott, John and Edward Bumpus Ltd., Oxford University Press, Sun Engraving Co., Parker & Sons Ltd., Herbert Putnam, George Iles, Colonel F. H. Garrison, Dr. Melville Black, W. J. Belcher, Smithsonian Institute, Dr. Maude Abbott, Dr. A. D. Blackader, R. R. James, Pierpont Morgan Library, Humphrey Milford, Basil H. Soulsby, William F. Petersen, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Natural History Museum, Dr. Robert A. Millikan, Douglas H. Campbell, A. J. Swann, Sir Arthur W. Currie, Alexander Wetmore, E. Cowles Andrus, and John Johnson.

This subseries focuses on the unpublished memoir of Casey A. Wood, which consists of manuscripts, typescripts, notes, research project notes and publications, correspondence (1888-1939), photographs, clippings and printed material, and journals (1891, 1930-1931) from approximately 1850-1939. Wood had assistance from family members, professional connections, and friends to compile his biographical information for the memoir. Wood was living in Rome during the mid- to late-1930s, so much of the Canadian research was conducted by family members Samuel Casey Wood III, Alan Wood, and Edith Hayes. There is correspondence between Wood and his family on the progress of the memoir, their family, and personal lives. The subseries consists of approximately 110 letters and 1 telegram with additional correspondence, clippings, and other materials integrated into the memoir’s manuscript and typescripts.
Individuals addressed within the correspondence and other materials include Alan Wood, Samuel Casey Wood III, George Iles, H. Clay Evans, Dr. George H. Mathewson, Francis J. Shepherd, Harvey Cushing, Dr. George H. Simmons, Casey Hayes, Josephine Seymour, Dr. Charles P. Small, Ms. Slaughter, Major J. C. Dawson, Dr. J. C. Simpson, J. R. Slonaker, Irving S. Cutter, Dr. H. D. Birkett, Dr. Franck Brawley, Dr. Maude Abbott, Elizabeth E. Abbott, Dr. W. W. Francis, Harry Harris, G. R. Lomer, Dr. Harry Vanderbilt Wurdemann, Dr. C. F. Wylde, V. C. Wynne Edwards, Dr. Andreas Nell, Sir William Osler, C. F. Wylde, Frank Allport, and Norma Shearer.
Throughout the subseries common topics include providing information for the memoir, travel, careers, education, Italy during the late 1930s, politics, ornithology, zoology, donations of materials by Casey Wood, family, Emperor Frederick II and “the Art of Falconry,” Emma Shearer Wood and Blacker Library collections, aviculture, John III, the Feather book, animal protection, history of medicine, “Coloured Plates of the Birds of Ceylon,” Ali ibn Isa, and Wood’s research, career, and health.
The printed material includes a variety of leaflets, brochures, cards, invitations, tickets, bookplates, booklets, clippings etc. from or about various current events, travel experiences, publications, etc.. Within the subseries' photographs are images of Dr. Thomas Woodruff, Emma Shearer Wood, Casey Wood, Marjorie Fyfe, James Shearer, Eliza Shearer, Dr. Richmond, Dr. Ridgway, other family members and friends, and from research trips. Places related to Wood’s life mentioned in this subseries include the United States, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka, England, Italy, Ethiopia, Vienna, France, Afghanistan, British Guiana, Australia, Fiji, McGill and Emma Shearer Wood Libraries, Bishops’ College, Western General Hospital, Stanford University, and the Chicago Ophthalmological Society.

This subseries consists of many of Wood's major publications in various iterations such as manuscripts, typescripts, page proofs, and galley proofs. Additionally, this subseries contains other manuscripts, research notes, photographs, prints or illustrations, correspondence, book reviews, and other materials relating directly to Wood's research projects and publications. The material is dated from 1904-1942 but focuses predominantly from 1913- 1934. Much of the subseries is composed of bound volumes, some of which contain multiple record types, either bound or mounted within the volumes.
The research and writing projects focus on the following topics and geographic regions: ornithology, Fundus Oculi (1911-1934), Wood’s family history (1920-1940), South America (1920-1921), Fiji and Fiji Islands (1920-1931), fossil eggs (1923-1925), flowers and meadows in Switzerland (1924-1934), “An Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology,” aviculture (1925-1928), New Zealand, medieval Persian manuscripts (1927-1934), Benevenutus Grassus’ de Oculis (1930), John III, Kashmir and North India (1921-1934), Ceylon (1925, 1928, 1934), "the Art of Falconry" (1938?-1942), and Ali ibn Isa (1935-1936).
Other contributors to some publications and manuscripts include Marjorie Fyfe, Alexander Wetmore, Wladimir Ivanow, Arthur William Head, Dr. Andreas Nell, W. J. Belcher, William C. Morgan, and Marion C. Tallmon.
This subseries also contains 145 incoming and outgoing pieces of correspondence including letters and notes. Some individuals addressed include Arthur William Head, Christopher Leggo, Lillian Bates, Elizabeth E. Abbott, Cora Raymond, Dr. Richmond, W. J. Belcher, C. S. Walis, Theodore Hamblin Ltd., James R. Slonaker, and R. R. Donnelley and Sons Co.. This subseries also includes photographs of Wood’s family, professional colleagues and friends, and research and publications.

This series consists of research, writing, and correspondence files relating to Casey Wood's major and minor publications and unpublished works, as well as, others assisting in Wood's publications, research, or writing about Wood. The majority of the research and writing materials for Wood's published and unpublished works were created between 1920-1940, while other materials collected during Wood's life, those associated with his memoir and obituary, date from approximately 1850-1943.
Some prominent writings by Wood include “Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology” (1921-1956), his unpublished memoir (ca. 1850-1939), “Fundus Oculi” (1911-1934), Wood family history (1920-1940), “Birds of Fiji” (1920-1928), “Through Forest and Jungle in Kashmir and North India” (1921-1934); Persian, Arabic and Hindustani manuscripts (1927-1934); and “The Art of Falconry” (1942).
The series consists of many volumes and files containing a number of record types including manuscripts, typescripts, proofs, publications, photographs, correspondence, clippings, printed material, postcards, journals, administrative and financial records, and artwork. Some of the volumes are scrapbooks containing many of these materials mounted within, while others include similar materials bound within. These volumes do not necessarily have a clear organization but are sometimes arranged chronologically or by correspondent.

There are 2230 incoming and outgoing pieces of correspondence including letters, postcards, notes, telegrams, and cards. Subseries 1) Introduction to the Literature of Vertebrate Zoology includes 1313 pieces of correspondence, the largest number of correspondence within the collection.

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).

Fonds contains the author's original manuscript of Augustus, begun in 1934 and finished in 1937.

The fonds documents Ken Norris’s academic, professional and personal activities and career as an English literature teacher, Canadian writer and poet. There are also materials related to his university student life in Montreal. The records contains a wide variety of personal and professional correspondence between 1972-1990 with correspondents such as Endre Farkas, Margaret Atwood, Leonard Cohen, David McFadden, Cynthia Lapp, George Bowering, and James Polk. Manuscripts and notebooks document his writing activities and include rough drafts, edited drafts, final drafts, completed manuscripts, as well as published books, articles and his academic dissertations.