[1] The traditional story is that sheriff Melville had made himself very unpopular with the local lairds by too strict an adherence to his jurisdiction.

[1] The Lairds of Arbuthnott, Mathers, Pitarrow and Halkerton invited Melville to a hunting party in the Garvock Forest.

[1] James VI wrote to some of his lairds on 30 August 1589, asking them to send food, "fat beef, mutton on foot, wild fowls and venison", to be delivered to Walter Naish Master of the Royal Larder in Edinburgh for the Entry and Coronation of Anne of Denmark.

[1] Dr John Arbuthnot, who claimed kinship with the clan chief's family, was a distinguished physician and political humorist who was educated at the University of Aberdeen.

[1] Dr Samuel Johnson once remarked that he was 'a man of great comprehension, skilful in his profession, versed in the sciences, acquainted with ancient literature and able to animate his mass of knowledge by a bright and active imagination'.

It was reported in the Hindu newspaper that "the consequences of this sudden and disastrous failure mean the ruin of many hundreds of families in southern India".

The previous clan chief was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (1945) and was appointed Knight of the Thistle and Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The chief's crest is A peacock's head couped at the neck Proper, his motto is LAUS DEO, from Latin: "Praise God".