FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES 631 



Grampus oil is esteemed more highly than that from the Blackflsh. The 

 amount of oil furnished by some of t lie more important Cetaceans in 

 approximately as follows: 



Species. 



Length. 



Feet. 

 80 to 84 

 45 to 58 

 60 



Amount of oil. 



60 to 150 barrels. 

 75 to 200 barrels. 

 130 barrels. 

 20 to 70 barrels. 

 35 to 60 barrels. 



Sperm Whale (Physeter maerocephalus) 



Bowhead Whale (Balcena mysticetus) 



Pacific Eight Whale (Balcena japonica) 



Gray Whale (RhacManectes glaucus) j 35 to 44 



Atlantic Humpback (Megaptera boops) | 45 to 50 



Blackflsh ( Olobiocephalus melas) I 15 to 20 ! 20 gallons to 10 barrels. 



Grampus (Grampus griseus) 15 to 20 '■ 



White Whale (Delphinapterus catodon) j 15 to 16 j 100 to 120 gallons. 



The secondary products furnished by the Cetaceans are whalebone, 

 spermaceti, ivory, ambergris, leather, and meat. The whalebone fur- 

 nished by at least three species which are or have been pursued by our 

 whalemen rises in value almost to that of the oil secured. The Bowhead 

 Whale, B. mysticetus, furnishes from 500 to about 3,000 pounds of 

 whalebone, the Pacific Right Whale, B. japonica, about 1,800, and the 

 Atlantic Bight Whale, B. biscayensis, about 1,000 pounds. The spermaceti 

 of the Sperm Whale, once so valuable, has greatly declined in importance. 

 The amount furnished by a single whale varies from 15 to 25 barrels. 

 A similar substance occurs in small quantity in the head of the Pigmy 

 Sperm Whale, genus Kogia, and in the Bottlenose Whale, Hyperoodon. 

 Ivory is furnished to a considerable amount only by the Sperm Whale. 

 Ambergris is still sought for and commands a high price. About the 

 only Cetacean leather now used in commerce is furnished by the White 

 Whale. This species is so rare on our Atlantic coast that its importance 

 in this connection is insignificant. The business is, however, pursued 

 by the Canadians to some extent. Formerly leather was made from 

 the Porpoises, which are very common about Long Island, and the in- 

 dustry has been renewed at Csipe May, N. J. Before canned meats 

 were introduced into commerce, the smaller Cetaceans furnished a supply 

 of fresh meat for the crews of vessels engaged in long voyages, and is 

 frequently referred to in the accounts of such expeditions. The flesh 

 is not unpalatable, although inclined to be oily and tough. That of 

 certain species, however, as the Bottlenose Whales, possesses cathartic 

 properties which render it disagreeable and unwholesome. The Amer- 

 ican aborigines, both Indians and Eskimos, have learned the value of 

 the wholesome species, and hazard much to secure the flesh and blub 

 ber, of which they are very fond.* The statistics of the principal prod- 

 ucts furnished are treated of at length by Mr. Clark in Section E and 

 need not be dwelt upon here. 



THE DECREASE IN THE ABUNDANCE OF AMERICAN CETACEANS. 



That there have been great changes in the abundance and movements 

 of the larger Whales along the east and west coasts of the United States 



* See Section E, pp. 90 et 8eq. 



