WHALES AND WHALING 307 



Dolphins, Porpoises, Blackfish, and Dugongs 



Many other marine mammals yield oils of commer- 

 cial value. The most important of these are dolphins, 

 porpoises, blackfish, manatees, and dugongs. The oil 

 obtained from the jaws of these animals is the most 

 valuable oil known and is used chiefly for the lubri- 

 cation of fine machinery such as watches, clocks, 

 and typewriters. 



Porpoises and dolphins are curious animals about 

 which many legends have grown. These sea-pigs, as 

 they are often called, are playful, sometimes gambol- 

 ing about in shallow water close to the shore. Divers 

 fishing for pearls, sponges, or coral look on them 

 with much favor, as their presence is a favorable 

 omen indicative of the absence of sharks. Manatees 

 and dugongs are even more interesting than por- 

 poises. These animals, often called sea-cows or cow- 

 fish, are rather sluggish mammals which live prin- 

 cipally on sea grasses and algae. Dugongs are found 

 on the coasts of northern and western Australia, in 

 many parts of the Indian Ocean, and in the Red Sea. 

 Manatees are seldom found on the open coast but 

 hug river estuaries and even travel many miles up 

 large rivers such as the Amazon. At times porpoises 

 and other mammals of related species are taken in 

 considerable numbers off the North Carolina and 

 Massachusetts coasts. A regular fishery for por- 

 poises is carried on in Finmark each year from Sep- 

 tember to March. Many dugongs are taken on the 

 western coast of Australia. 



The jaw-oil of these animals is prepared by cook- 



