3Q2 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1783. 



and smell it is impossible for them to mistak. The ambergris found in the 

 intestinal canal is not so hard as that which is found on the sea or sea-coast, but 

 soon grows hard in the air : when first taken out it has nearly the same colour, 

 and the same disagreeable smell, though not so strong, as the more liquid dung 

 of the whale has ; but, on exposing it to the air, it by degrees not only grows 

 greyish, and its surface is covered with a greyish dust like old chocolate, but it 

 also loses its disagreeable smell, and, when kept for a certain length of time, 

 acquires the peculiar odour which is so agreeable to most people. Some gentlemen 

 with whom Dr. S. conversed, confessed, that if they knew not from experience that 

 ambergris thus found will in time acquire the abovementioned qualities, they 

 would by no means be able to distinguish ambergris from hard indurated fasces. 

 This is so true, that whenever a whale voids its faeces on being hooked, they look 

 carefully to see if they cannot discover among the more liquid excrements, of 

 which the whale discharges several barrels, some pieces floating on the sea, of a 

 more compact substance than the rest ; these they take up and wash, knowing 

 them to be ambergris. 



It will now be proper to examine the principal question, whether all ambergris 

 is generated in the bowels of the whale, or whether it is simply an extraneous 

 substance taken in with the food ? In order to elucidate this matter, it will be 

 necessary to resolve the following questions : 1st. Whether there is any material 

 difference between ambergris found on the sea or sea-coast, and that found in 

 the bowels or among the dung of the whale, either with regard to its qualities 

 and chemical principles, or with respect to the heterogeneous substances that are 

 mixed with it? And 2dly, if there is any such difference, in what does it consist. 



From the most exact information I have been able to procure on this subject, 

 says Dr. S., I find that what several authors have asserted, that all ambergris 

 found in whales is of an inferior quality, and therefore much less in price, is 

 destitute of truth. Ambergris is only valued for its purity, lightness, compact- 

 ness, colour, and smell. There are pieces of ambergris found on different 

 coasts, which are of a very inferior quality, whereas there are often found pieces 

 of it in whales of the first value ; nay, several pieces found in the same whale, 

 according to the abovementioned qualities, are more or less valuable. All amber- 

 gris found in whales has at first when taken out of the intestines very near the 

 same smell as the liquid excrements of that animal have ; it has then also nearly 

 the same blackish colour : they find it in the whale sometimes quite hard, some- 

 times rather softish, but never so liquid as the natural faeces of that animal. 

 And it is a matter of fact, that, after being taken out and kept in the air, all 

 ambergris grows not only harder and whiter, but also loses by degrees its smell, 

 and assumes such an agreeable one, as that in general has which is found swim- 

 ming on the sea ; therefore the goodness of ambergris seems rather to depend 



