[71] FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 341 



Mincing-machine knife — Continued. 



slicing blubber before extracting the oil. Cast steel, holes in 

 either end for fastening the blade to the frame. Length, 21£ 

 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 55800. Gift of 

 Thomas Knowles & Co. 



Leaning Blubber. 



knives used in the blubber-room for removing small pieces 

 of flesh that have adhered 10 the blubber when cutting 



IN. 



Leaning-knife. 



Blade, steel; handle, two pieces, hardwood, riveted to shank of 

 blade. Length, 13 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 

 56936. Gift of Frederick S. Allen. Used by the "hold gang" 

 of a whaling-vessel, for leaning blubber. 



Knives used by Sealers. 



Knife, steel, and Sheath. 



Case containing knife and steel. Sheath, made at sea, wood. Two 

 pieces bound with brass hoops; leathern guard, or strap, for 

 attaching case to w r aist-belt, stamped with ornamental design 

 and initials (E. T.) of owner. Ordinary steel, handle "run in" 

 with lead. Knife, bone handle, checkered, blade worn by sharp- 

 ening. Length of case, 10 inches; length of knife, 12 inches; 

 length of steel, 14 inches. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 

 56881. Gift of L. & W. E. Wing. Used by the "skinners" 

 (men whose duty it is to skin or flay seals) in the seal and sea- 

 elephant fishery. Herd's Island, Patagonia, South Georges, 

 South Shetland, Desolation Island, &c. 



RECEPTACLES EMPLOYED WHEN CUTTLNG-IN THE WHALE. 



Scooping Spermaceti from the Water. 

 Scoop-net. 



Net made of strips of wood and spun-yarn, seized to a pole with 

 spun-yarn. Handle and bow of net broken during transpor- 

 tation. Length, 14 feet. New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1882. 

 57697. U. S. Fish Commission. A kind of net carried on 

 sperm-whaling vessels, and used during the process of cutting- 

 in the whale, when severing the head, for scooping up small 

 portions of spermaceti which float aft from the roots of the 

 case — slamming slides. Known to the Provincetown whalemen 

 as " Granny-scratches." Obtained from whaling-brig " Varnum 

 H. Hill," of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Has been used, as 

 indicated by the small pieces of spermaceti adhering to the 

 netting. 



