There are drafts of a number of Tinbergen's scientific papers, illustrative material and a little correspondence with publishers and editors. The drafts are arranged in a chronological sequence 1937-1980 (only 3 items before 1960) which is followed by a number of undated drafts and shorter publications such as press articles, reviews, obituaries. Of particular interest are the 1937 paper (MS. Eng. c. 3137/C.110) which is drafted on the back of instruction sheets for ethology practical work at Leiden, a paper on stickleback research (MS. Eng. c. 3137/C.111) which may not have been published, the preface and chapter plans for an unpublished book 'Bird City' (MS. Eng. c. 3138/C.133) and draft chapters, correspondence etc., for an unpublished book on modern man's disadaptation with his environment 'Man - Guinea Pig of Evolution' (MS. Eng. c. 3138/C.141-MS. Eng. c. 3138/C.146).

The illustrative material, principally photographs by Tinbergen and others and drawings and figures, relates to the books Tinbergen published after the move from Leiden to Oxford in 1949. Experimental models used by Tinbergen in his research on the Grayling butterfly were found with the illustrative material for The study of instinct, 1951 (MS. Eng. c. 3140/C.179).

A little correspondence with publishers and editors has been arranged in a chronological sequence 1959-1986. It includes material relating to the Dutch magazine De Levende Natuur for which Tinbergen wrote over many decades (MS. Eng. c. 3142/C.234).