denotes the fat of whales and other large sea-animals, whereof is made train-oil. It is properly Blubber properly the adeps of the animal: it lies immediately under the skin, and over the muscular flesh. In the porpoise it is firm and full of fibres, and invests the body about an inch thick. In the whale its thickness is ordinarily six inches; but about the under lip, it is found two or three feet thick. The whole quantity yielded by one of these animals ordinarily amounts to 40 or 50, sometimes to 80 or more, hundred weight. The use of blubber to the animal seems to be partly to poise the body, and render it equiponderant to the water; partly to keep off the water at some distance from the blood, the immediate contact whereof would be apt to chill it; and partly also for the same use that clothes serve us, to keep the fish warm, by reflecting or reverberating the hot steams of the body, and so redoubling the heat: since all fat bodies are, by experience, found less sensible of the impressions of cold than lean ones. Its use in trade and manufactures is to furnish train-oil, which it does by boiling down. Formerly this was performed ashore in the country where the whales were caught: but of late the fishers do not go ashore; they bring the blubber home stowed in casks, and afterwards boil it down in the preparation of the oil.

Sea-Blubber. See Medusa.