MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS 599 



Kong take the whole output which amounts to 175 to 

 200 or more tons; the " white/' or dorsal fins are worth 

 up to 6/- per Ib. in 200 Ib. bales. Unfortunately the 

 sharks, which are extremely numerous and cheaply 

 caught around the Sulu Island, are not economically 

 handled; oil from the liver could be obtained in vast 

 quantities and the meat, if dried and ground, would 

 furnish a large amount of excellent fertilizer; the skins 

 (shagreen) are also valuable and in the case of the 

 beautifully marked tiger and marbled sharks (Stegostoma 

 tigrinum and 3\ marmoratum) the value is high, passing 

 as " Morocco leather." 



Edible Sea Weed. Especially in the Southern Islands 

 and Western Luzon good edible sea weed is found, and 

 a crude product known as " gulaman " (Aghardiella 

 and Graclllaria spp.) is obtainable in the markets of 

 the larger cities. This industry is worthy of greater 

 attention. 



Isinglass. Several species of fish occur whcih yield 

 a fair grade of " sounds." Scale 3 estimates that the 

 value of the fish bladders thrown away at the large 

 markets exceeds the value of the fish in the hands of the 

 lake and sea fishermen. 



Sponges. Little has been done thus far to develop 

 the sponge industry of Mindanao and the Sulu Archi- 

 pelago. Proper methods of gathering and a very small 

 amount of capital are apparently all that is required. 



Fish Ponds. It is not generally known that in the 

 vicinity of Manila there are many artificial ponds in 

 which, market fish are raised for local consumption. 

 According to the Bureau of Science the value of these 

 ponds is at present about 600,000. In passing, it may 

 be mentioned that no less than 1,600 species of fishes 

 are known to inhabit Philippine waters and practically 

 all of these are food species. A fair grade of sardines, 

 according to experiments by the Bureau of Science, can 

 be put up locally. Excellent oysters are fairly common 

 and are beginning to be cultivated. The spiny lobster, 



Phil. Journ. Sci.j 191 1 3 vol. vi, No. 6. 



