The “narwhal,” or nostril whale, has a horn five to ten feet long protruding forward from its jaw. This species is also spoken of as the “Unicorn.” Opinions differ as to the use of this horn; some think it is used as a rake to turn over its food at the bottom of the sea, others think it is employed as an ice-piercer, but the author of “Moby Dick” suggests that it would make an exceedingly good folder for it to use in reading pamphlets. In ancient times this narwhal’s tusk was used to detect poison in food and wine, the idea being prevalent that the tusk would be discolored if it came in contact with any poisonous substance. It is difficult in the present day to appreciate the wholesale fear of poison which existed up to quite modern times. This fear was so general and pressing that no one of any position dared to eat and drink without a previous assurance that what was set before him did not contain some poison. Some authorities vouch for the fact that the tusk was also used as salts for fainting women. The chief products of the fishery are sperm and whale oil, whalebone, and ambergris. Spermaceti, meaning a foot of “sperm oil,” was the most valuable and was found only in the sperm whale. This oil was formerly used chiefly in the manufacture of sperm candles, and at one time there were eight factories for the manufacture of these candles in New England, Nantucket alone turning out three hundred and eighty tons annually before the war. In the olden times this oil was considered a sure cure for almost any kind of disease and was worth its weight in silver. Shakespeare makes reference to it in these words—“The sovereign’st thing on earth was ’parmaceti for an inward bruise.” At present it is used chiefly in making refined oils for lubricating. Whale oil was procured from all the other varieties of whales, and was formerly used as an illuminant in the old “whale oil” lamps; it is used now to a certain extent in the tanning of leather and in the manufacture of soaps, but chiefly in making heavy lubricating oils. Whalebone has been the most important product of the whale fishery for a number of years, and in fact whaling would undoubtedly have died out altogether had it not been for the discovery of its use in making women’s stays. Many a whaleman has lost his life in the endeavor to improve the female figure. It is a curious fact that fifty years or more ago this product was always thrown away as worthless. The value has gone down in the past few years on account of the invention of steel stays, which take the place of whalebone. The high and low prices of these three commodities are of interest. Sperm oil was $2.55 per gallon in 1866, and is 46 cents now. Whale oil was $1.45 per gallon in 1865, and is 26 cents now. Whalebone was $5.80 per pound in 1904, 8 cents in 1809, and is $1.75 now.