VALUABLE PRODUCTS FROM MAMMALS 33 



The walrus also has been relentlessly pursued for its oil, as well 

 as for its ivory, until it has become too scarce for profitable hunting. 

 While it was plentiful, its habits made it much more easily obtained 

 than whales. At one rookery in Norway 600 were killed in six hours, 

 and on the northwest coast of North America from 1870 to 1880 about 

 100,000 were killed, which yielded 1,996,000 gallons of oil and 398,868 

 pounds of ivory, reducing the number of these animals 50 per cent 

 in ten years. 33 This was a calamity to the natives of the northern 

 Alaskan coast, who were so dependent upon the walrus for food and 

 raiment prior to the introduction of the reindeer for their benefit. 

 The sea-elephants also have fallen prey to the commercial hunters, 

 the production of sea-elephant oil from all the southern islands from 

 1803 to 1900 having aggregated over 242,000 barrels, valued at 

 $5,42O,ooo. 34 One may well wonder whether that amount is sufficient 

 to pay for the threatened extermination of that interesting animal. 

 Lucas says that prior to 1889 there were killed annually for their oil 

 and leather 875,000 hair seals, in addition to 185,000 fur seals taken 

 annually for their fur. 35 Sea-lions have been destroyed in large num- 

 bers for their oil, hides, "whiskers," gall-bladders, etc. 36 Porpoises also 

 have played a part in the production of oil. 37 



In addition to wool, oil, skins, whalebone and other materials more 

 particularly discussed in this and other chapters, the report of im- 

 ports to and exports from the United States in 1925 include the fol- 

 lowing: 38 



Exports Imports 



Gelatin, glue, etc., of animal origin $684,000 $1,404,000 



Bones, hoofs, horns and article? manufactured therefrom 744,000 1,231,000 



Ivory tusks, natural 1,373,000 



Animal compost from the barnyard, used as a fertilizer, returns to 

 the soil considerable plant food taken from the fields in the shape 

 of crops of hay and grain, and its total value to the farmers must 

 aggregate a very large sum of money. Considerable of the waste of 

 whales at the whaling stations is also converted into fertilizer. Bats 

 as a source of fertilizer have recently been much discussed. Artificial 



33 Stevenson, Kept. U. S. Fish Comm. for 1902, p. 214. Clark, Fisheries and fishing 

 industries of the U. S., sec. v, Vol. n, p. 318, 1887. Lucas, Ann. Rept. U. S. National 

 Museum for 1889, P- 618. 



34 Stevenson, Rept. U. S. Fish Comm. for 1902, pp. 211-214. 



35 Lucas, Ann. Rept. U. S. National Museum for 1889, p. 611. 



36 Rowley, Journ. Mammalogy, x, 1-36, 1929. 



37 Cook, The manufacture of porpoise oil, Proc. U. S. National Museum, i, 16-18, 

 1878. 



38 Statistical Abstract of the U. S. for 1925, U. S. Bureau of Commerce, 1926. 



