The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-09-18
RARE AND CURIOUS.
A QUEER COLLECTION OF oLEAals-
@ d. Gus SAMPLES. h
New York Times.l

CuAuh IOT COlIoCtiuk NahS 6ua GhA A1As SoA&A
mercial products has among his collection
many specimens OF oils of peculiar produc-
ton which are in use In various countries.
and which, while entering largely into the
domestic economy AMI business Importance
Of those countries, are but little known, IL.
at ALL In the Unitel StassS The collector
exhibited and described some OF these cur
ious oils to the writer few days ago.
aHere Ia an OIL" said he, holding up to
the light small vial containing rich,
bright yellow liquid, 4which can not
help but become valuable article
Of general commerce as soon as its
qualities are better known. Il Is extracted
from an insect which abounds in Central
America, the native name OF which Is min
Naturalsts have given 1t tho nams OF
Coceus Adip,fera. II feeds On the sap Of
resinous plant Of the spondias family, and It's
numbers in any locality are only limited to
the extent to which this plant IL found
aNiin oil has high value as varnish
producer. Melted in porcelain vessel and
the fluid kept at high and even tempera-
ture for an hour or SO, during which time
certain volatile properties disappear,
tough flexible varnish-liks residue Is the
. high degree or heat or a low
degree OF cold. It IL not soluble In
turpentine, but ignitsd with turpsntine IL
yields thick, yellow gum-an oleo-resin in
fact-which closely resembles Q solution Of
India rubber. 1t will retain o ssmi-fuid
condition for days, and its adhesive proper
ties are remarkable. The turpentine solu-
ton Of Min oil, run out In vessels to the
depth Of the sixteenth Of an inch, Is changed
into q resinous varnfsh which IL almost
equal to shellac, and becomes very hard and
elastic by exposure for day or two to the
air. The most porous filter paper Is rendered
absolutely impervious to water when dipped
In the turpentine solution Of Min oil and
then subjected 10 heat to volatilizs the
grease. Garments treated in the same man.
ner are most effectively water-proofsd, the
coating defying most powerful solvents OF
oils W."
i. ~ sHere Ii an oil which Ia something OF .
curiosity" said the collector, showing the
reporter q liquid Of remarkable trans
parency and almost colorless. 1T Is qua
charo oil from Ecuador. And what do you
think it was made FRONT That bottle con-
tains all that was left Of two OF the young
Of the oil bird, or Trinidad goat sucker
or / might better say that the full Is two
OF the goat suckers young. for what was
left OF them alter this oil was tried out OF
t16HA l1u WOItu spChkAuk oSSo@ $50 6Ssss
sucker Is q nocturnal bird, something like
our whippoorwill, except that 1t lives In the
deep, dark caverns that abound in Ecuador,
Venezuela, New Granada, Trinidad and other
South American regions, and that its diet con-
sists entirely Of the abundant oleaginous
fruits Of thoss countries. A few days after
the young are Matched they become literally
balls Of Eat, and ara described ~ being the
most curious looking creatures imaginable.
When the fat Is removed from ths young
birds there Is scarcely anything left but
their tiny skeletons The fat Is boiled down
at once, fires being made at the mouth Of
the caverns as soon as the raids on the nests
are over The oil is run into earthen jars
Il requires no further publication or refn-
ing, as its natural state Is purity itself. IL
ID limpid as you see it hers. It Is used both
for cooking and Illuminating purposes, and
has been pronounced superior to olive oil. IL
burns In o wick with white fame, which
emits no smoke. Even with the careless
methods of the natives the oil will keep
sweet year. "a .... ..-ze...rs .-e.-Lr r.a
aThis," q bottle OF thick, muddy grease.
sis crude penguin oil. Vessels and crews
are sent TO Patagonia from England for the
express purpose OF taking a species Of
penguin, or manchot, which swarms on
that far-away coast Tue capture OF
the un nwieldly birds Is easy, and from
their exclusive fish diet they are described
as reeking with OIL The oil is extracted
on the hunting grounds and a cargo Of
90. 900 gallons Is frequently taken back on a
single vessel Penguin oil Is used as dress
ing for fine leather ~ s E@ 81
aHere Is an oil that Is 30 susceptible TO
cold that It solidifes In q temperature that
quickly melts ice. It is genuine grease
from the crocodile Of the Indus river, and
cam, from the Punjab, its preparation be-
ing the chief industry Of the Sarif tribe OF
Indians. There Is no other oil that contains
30 large q proportion OF solidifable fat IL
Is o superior leather dressing. ond is In
great demand In the Orient believe il
has been inquired for In this country by
ieathsr dressers, but it has never been OBJ
tainable. 5EH 70 as5 lst'
N aThe delicate looking of in this vial l.
known to the trade as melon oil, but IL Is
rare, and SO Is worth keeping as a curiosity.
Il is taken from the nose Of the pilot whale.
and has, probably. the lowest congealing
point OF all animal or fish oils u has posi-,
lively no corrosive effect on metallic sur.
facss, and ID therefore used as lubricant
for the most delicate mechanism.
aHere are two specimens of dugong oil
cne from the animal by that name found In
the Indian ocean. and the othsr from ths
dugong OF Australian waters The dugona
d known to sailors as the sea hog, and h
found In great drovss in shallow places
where IL feeds exclusively on bottom ses
grasses and weeds The Australian dugons
. OF IN average length OF fifteen feet and
win weigh 100 pounda About sighteer
gallons Of oil, found fn . cellular substance
between the skin and the hesh, are yields<
by each animal The oil has no odor, Y
Of pleasant flavor TO the tastA and Is
- you see. almost - iimpid as water
tar. Il has . low congesling point AZ
though IL contains no iodine, IL is values
moro highly a. medicine In Australia thai
cod liver oil L. 1t + used in place Of, and
frequently In preference TO- butter. As |
cooking oil Il h saidito be unrivaIed.
AIN thu bottle 10 the only oil or fat that
know Of that does not become rancid or pu
trid from exposure TO the sun, but which. o.
the contrary, acquires not only . fine fiavo
| bot most aerseabls odor through such ex
| posurs Il h oil taksn from the manatss o
South African rivera This. animal has |
layer Of solid fat an inch thick next to ID
skin, and from that the oil is extracted b.
boiling. An avsrags-sised' manates vii
yisld fifteen gallons ok oil There ars tw
qualities taken from the animal, the fat o
ths tail yislding . moss delicate oil than th
body fat The oil h used as q table oil
- lubricator. aud = an nluminant an
IN cooking.