FISHERY PRODUCTS IN EVERYDAY LIFE 41 



whale steak could be had in many of the large hotels 

 in our big cities, but it never attained much popu- 

 larity. Many whale tails are pickled in brine at the 

 whaling stations on our Pacific coast and are ex- 

 ported to Japan, where they are considered a 

 delicacy. Other important whale products are sper- 

 maceti, whalebone, sperm-oil, ambergris, glue, whale 

 meal, and bone meal. Ambergris is often worth 

 its weight in gold. It is a gray substance found in 

 the intestines of diseased whales, but it is also often 

 found floating on the sea or washed upon the shore. 

 It is used in fine perfumes to prevent the fragrance 

 from being quickly dissipated after use. 



Porpoises, dolphins, blackfish, and other relatively 

 small animals belonging to the whale family are 

 hunted in a few localities for their hides and oil. The 

 oil obtained from the jaws of these animals is the 

 most valuable liquid fat known in commerce. 



Since 1909, Uncle Sam has been in the fur 

 business, for in that year the Bureau of Fisheries 

 took control of the Pribilof Islands of Alaska, and 

 has had complete charge of the fur-seals of the 

 islands, which furnish nearly the entire world's 

 supply of seal fur. By careful protection, the 

 number of seals on the islands has been increased 

 from 132,000 in 1910 to more than 700,000 at pres- 

 ent. During the past few years, the government has 

 had a tidy income from this source. Only the surplus 

 male seals are killed, so that the number of seals in 

 the rookeries is likely to continue to increase. 



Hair-seals are captured for their hides and blub- 

 ber. The hides are tanned into beautiful leather, and 



