The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09
OILS NOT COMMONLY SEEN.
TALUIBLE GREASE FROM hLLIGA-
TORS AND CROCODILES.
oil from the Nose of the Pilot whale Used
for the Most Delicate Mechnnism-Prod-
ucts of the Dugong and Manatee-

uots of the Dugong and Manatee-
oil Furnished by Insects and Birds.
1T Is a fact not generally known outside OF
Brazil." said a dealer in rare dressing and lnbri-
eating oils. that the extracting CT oils from the
alligator Is a business OF no small importance
there. The oil is taken from the tail exclusively.
The tai OF an averaRe-sized alligator Yields from
eight to ten gallons. The oil makes a good IL
luminant and lie highly priced as the base for
linin.ents and ointments. II our petroleum
ever gives out II might be we'll for operators to
remember the illuminl tinR properties Of the
alliGator's tail. And speaking OF curious oils.
here Ia q sample Of all oil that is 30 suscep-
tible to cold that IL solidifes IN a temperature
that quickly melts ice. It is genuine grease
from the crocodile Of the Indus River. and
came from the Punjab. It's preparation ie the
chief industry OF tho Sarif tribe OF Indians.
There Is no other oil that contains so large a
proportion OF solidifable fat. It is a superior
leather dressing and is In great demand in the
Orient. The crocodile not only provides this
article Of commercial Importance 70 the pa-
tives. VIII extract the oil. but its meat 10 their
chief article OF food as we'll.
THE delicate looking oil In this vial 10
known to the trade as melon oil. but IL 10 rare.
1t Is taken from the nose OF the pilot whale.
and has. probably. the lowest conRealinR Joint
OF all animal or fish oils. IL has positively no
corrosive effect on metallic surfaces. and 10
therefore used as o lubricant for the most deli
cate mechanism.
Here are two specimens Of .durong OIL
one from the animal Of that name found in the
Indian Ocean and tho other from the duQonR
Of Australian waters. The duRong 10 known
to sailors as the sea hog. and is found In great
droves In shallow places. whore It feeds ex-
clusively on bottom sea grasses and weeds.
The animal is hunted by the Malays for food.
out its chase on the Australian coast is for its
oil alone. When a drove OF sea hogs is dis
covered the natives surround IL on the sea-
ward side, and. beating on ~the.water and shout
ing. close In upon the animals. which fly in
terror toward the land. whore they are har-
pooned by hundreds. The Australian du-
gong is OF an average length Of fifteen feet and
will weigh 1.2O0 pounds. About eighteen
gallons OF oil. found In a cellular substance
between the skin and the flesh. are Yielded by
each animal. The oil has no odor. is OF pleas
ant flavor to the taste. and Is. as you see. al
most as limpid as water. 1t has a low con-
gealinR point. Although 1t contains no iodine.
It is valued more highly as a medicine in Aus
tralia than cod liver oil. 1t is used In place OF
and frequently in preference to butter. As a
cooking oil 1t Is said to be unrivalied.
In this bottle Is the only oil or fat that I
know Of that does not become rancid or putrid
from exposure to the sun. but. on the contrary.
acquires not only a fine flavor but a most
agreeable odor through such exposure. II is
oil taken from the manatee Of South American
rivers. This animal has a LAYER OF solid fat an
inch thick next to its skin. and from that the
oil IL extracted by boiling. An averaRe.sized
manatee will yield fifteen gallons Of oil. There
are two qualities taken from the animal. the
fat Of the tail yielding a more delicate oil than
the body fat. The oil Is used as a table oil. as
n 1,I 81 -. ... - -
The manatee is taken also In bays and cosat
waters OF the West Indies. Mexico. Guiana aud
t hrs7 dom aea the co oI fer,es ~ IN tb ImpoT coant item OF
For an oil that is so superior rs a fine
leather dressing as tpLny oil-th!s male amber
cries e. the Mediter5anean annually extract
tirely 70 snaln. Italy and Tunis. It has a rich.
nssh oil. but unlike cod oil il %contains M naii Iodine.
The funny fisheries OF the Mediterranean are
GecHpd |. only n y to the ssrdiae hshsries; The 60
g, full of,oil that Il viii burn ike a candl".
Attempts have been made TO adulterate it with
detected for all the inferior oils that have been
tried remain LIQUID in a toni era.ure at which
'a"" Her = is sS an eiI.5 said the dealer. holding to
the 1liEht a vial cont,inine a rich. bright yel.
atounds in Central. america. The nativ. name an
nf " ". len 6i i Is Diin. Na,gtalists have given it The
q @f% q res 81 !n n"1."S ola a%'e Of the -po ., lnssi ts an i've s saG
IFS numbers In any locality are only limited hy
the extent to which this .nlant is found. The
Importance OF the insect in tho domestic trade
oi Central America IL recognized by the exten.
siye cultivation Of the particular plant unon
ia made e.asv bv the fnct that a cutting from
any nart OF a growing nlant inserted In the soil.
no matter where; at once lakes root and grows
The min. follows. quickly on the develop
ment of it's favorite feeding resources. and the
am nrp nNInnIatalC pnVarAH in nvArr Nnrt
with the insects during, the BREEDING season.
from the ground M They hang, 70 the rlant
apnearance OF being driven full Of .pecuiiariv
our rose bug. and nearly az o one. ii, IF IF is rs buinEs
is nnre oil. The natives gather the bugs in
fheinr th H5 cant ne 81 Plants Ia sect and ntt ga5ry them he e. with
boiling in close vessels and BY pressure. The
result ls 4 thick pasty grease. resembling lard
tHre 70 melt t to q ,liauii. The melting pro:
As it hollis 4 becomes light in color and Granu:
Tx. spet a regularity q the oiil is that it is
.ther. hot or cold. When It forms n'e' an oiiv IiSyuitsp'
The grease gre se,n Is also soluble Vile 10 turpentinei hen:
value in the mixing OF delicate oil cnIors' The
comnHsiti"n Of min oil is such that t viii
"'.hi' Univ h''NI louR- anu CONTINUOUS DOLL
Ing IN the strongest soda I've.
Min oil a,sn. has a high value as a vanish
producer, Melted In n porcelain vessel and
the fluid kent at a high and even temperature
Tor an hour or so. during which time cer.ain
volatile properties disappear. n tough. flexible,
varnish-like residue is the result. II is but
Sigh ~ affected by a high degree OF heat or a
low degree OF cold It is not soluble in tur-
pentine. but, igni'ed with turrentine II Yields
a thick, yellow gum AN oleoresin. in fact
which closelv resembles a solution Of india
rubber. 1T will retain a semi-huid condition
Tor DAYS. and, its adhesive properties are re-
markahle. The turpentine solution ~ min oil.
run out in vessels 10 . depth OF the sixteenth
Of an inch; is changed into q ,r~esinous varnish
which ia almost equal to shellac. and becomes
very hard and elastic by exposure Tor a day or
two in the air The most porous filter raper
wSen dinped In the turpentinN solution Of min
oil and then subjected 70 heat 70 v~olatiIize the
ner are most effectually waterprooied, the
coating detytnC most powerful solvents Of oil.
This oil has not heen applied to anv practi-
cal use AS, vet. except by the natives. pricipaIiy
the lnd,tant and mestizoes o. the Yucatan penin-