THE WHALING INDUSTRY 697 



is mixed with the highest grade to meet the requirements of the contract. Prop- 

 erly prepared blubber oil runs about 1 per cent free fatty acid and under 2 

 yellow; bone oil runs under 3 per cent free fatty acid and from 8 to 10 red. 

 Meat and gut oil are usually so poor that there is an excess which is sold 

 separately, especially as it may have a higher content of vitamin A than the 

 other oils. 



Needless to say, the easiest way to obtain good oil is to process the whale as 

 soon after death as possible (12 hours or at most, 24). Oil in the blubber will 

 keep well on the carcass or in chunks for a week or so, but the meat, guts, and 

 bones will deteriorate rapidly and give poor oil as well as become harder to 

 handle in every way. The maximum legal time for holding a carcass before 

 flensing is 33 hours. 



Oil is sold by weight, not volume, though this has not always been the case. 

 The prices today are quoted by the pound or by the metric ton, rarely by the 

 gallon or barrel unless defined by weight. The common barrel of whale oil meas- 

 ures 1^ of a long ton of 2240 pounds (equals 1016 kilograms), or 49.8 gallons 

 U. S. A barrel of sperm oil of lesser density than whale oil would be slightly more 

 than 50 gallons. 



The weight of a gallon U. S. of whale oil is ordinarily considered to be 7.5 

 pounds, but may be from 7.62 to 7.7 pounds. A gallon of sperm oil weighs about 

 7.25 pounds, and would require more volume than whale oil to make a barrel. 



Natural watch and fine instrument oils from the head and jaw of porpoises 

 and dolphins have the least known and poorest economic situation. In the United 

 States today only one firm produces such oil, which sells for about 75 cents a 

 half ounce when refined, or about $192 a gallon straight refined. When crude, 

 it may have a value of $15 to $30 per gallon. A synthetic watch oil has been 

 manufactured since the early 1940's and sells for about $800 per gallon, or about 

 $3.10 a half ounce straight. 



Meat. Fresh meat from all cetaceans has been used for human consumption 

 from earliest times. In Europe the flesh of dolphins and porpoises was once con- 

 sidered a delicacy, and could be substituted for fish on religious fast days. Whalers 

 have always utilized all types of meat to relieve their monotonous ship's fare. 

 However, Japan, Norway, and the Faeroes are the only modern countries which 

 have long included whale meat in their national diet. Although during World 

 War II England introduced whale meat to its people and sold a great deal, it will 

 probably never replace beef in their eating habits. However, whale meat became 

 so important in Norway and England in recent years that some discussion of this 

 subject is necessary. Its popularity was the result of the scarcity of beef, pork, 

 mutton, and fish, and not of any great demand for whale meat, though it is tasty 

 and nutritious. 



Species of Cetacean with Edible Meat. Without exception all species of whales 

 are edible. The flesh of sperm and bottlenose whales has been claimed unpalatable 

 on account of purgative action; but much sperm meat is eaten in Japan, and the 

 bottlenose is eaten in Japan, the Faeroes, and possibly in Norway. The meat is 

 much less purgative than the blubber because it contains less waxy oil, perhaps 

 45 per cent. Although "adaptation" is frequently necessary before the meat of 

 these species is relished, it is certain that the meat of the younger individuals 

 is much more palatable than that of old ones, as is the case with all species, and 



