The sun., 1916-12-29

The recent statements as TO the IN
creased cost Of feathers and the high
cost Of shoes and the fact that the
market has been in such a low condi-
ton have led the Bureau Of Fish
cries at Washington to make expert
ments with shark skins and whale
skins with a view to their use for shoes
and other articles where leather Is
used. Fine feathers have been made
from the skins Of practically all the
aquatic mammals and of some of the
fishes; the sea lion. beluga or white
whale. alligator, seal, porpoisc. sea cle-
plant. manatee OF dugong. water
moccasin. frog. otter. beaver tail.
muskrat, and a variety Of fishes.
In the tanning OF aquatic skins the
preparation Of certain skins In imita
ton Of others is by no means a difficult
process. In many cases the hides Of
the walrus. sea lion and other animals
have been 70 damaged by their fighting
among themselves and from other
causes that. while the raw pelts may
be abundant and cheap enough. 1t h
dihicult to secure them sufficiently free
from defect to permit Of their use as
fancy feathers with economy. For this
reason seal skins. which are compare
lively free from any OF these objections,
are generally used to initiate those
feathers. the process being so modified
as to develop the peculiar grain de-
sired. On the other hand. seal skin is
initiated. the skin Of goats and calves
being used for the purpose.
When carefully prepared, seal
leather has n greater strength and
durability in proportion to its weight
than almost any other on the market.
and on account OF its choice and at
tractivc grain is in demand for such
articles as card cases. p~ocketbooks,
shopping bags. &C.
. The skin OF the sea lion was for.
merly considered unfit for tanning pur-
poses. owing to its thickness and
coarse texture. the only use being to
put 1t through the oil rendering
process and rarely saving the skin.
but now the hide is worth as much as
the oil, II not more. The thick hides
OF the old animals are usually used as
a substitute for walrus hide in polish
ing wheels for metal workers. and
while inferior TO walrus polishing
wheels. are prizei by silversmiths for
small work.
Leather made from walrus skins was
formerly used for the rigging OF ves-
sells. and was also employed to protect
the rigging from chafing. Later It
came into use by the silversmiths and
manufacturers of bright metal objects
Tor removing mars and scratches and
to polish fine metal surfaces. The hide
is particularly desirable for this pur-
pose owing to the peculiar grain. which
" very tough. Another peculiar use
to which walrus hide is placed is as a
for tho rollers used in ginning
n staple cotton. The tanned hide Is
into thin strips and attached to tho
surface of the roller and covers the
portion that comes into contact with
the cotton.
Formerly walrus hide was no, used
for fancy articles. but OF recent years
the hides are split and so tanned that
the grain has an unusually smooth.
NeiNety appearance, and ii has come
into use for such articles as card cases.
and he like.
The skin of the or dugong
produces the most characteristic grain
all the marine feathers. as IL consists
closely associated and irregular rows
OF well developed ridges. with peculiar
ind~entdtions or pin marks surrounded
ny a circular ridge, tho locations Of
the hair folliClcs. This leather is diff
rul' TO initiate, and only n small auan-
tity of IL Is received.
The porpoise probably furnishes less
for commercial use than any
other aquatic animal. This is owing
to tho fact that the skin is seldom
FREQ from the marks f sharks teeth.
tho manufacture OF small articles
here is nothing that can compare with
u III tho way OF wear. traCtilitv
strength and supplencss. 4 piece of
porpoise leather IA foot square can he
easily drawn out to "A foot and a third
N length. a feature that few, other
possess. This makes IL cspe-
rialiy good for shoemaking, for in
whatever direction tho foot is thrust
by the weight of the body the leather