Ambergris, << AM buhr grees or AM buhr grihs, >> is a waxy substance found in the intestines of some sperm whales. It has a musky smell when dried and was once used in expensive perfumes. Ambergris was added to perfume because its odor made the odor of the perfume last longer. Today, artificial substitutes have almost entirely replaced natural ambergris in perfume making.
Ambergris was once collected chiefly from the bodies of dead sperm whales. The whales also pass ambergris as a waste product, and clumps of it can sometimes be found in the water or on shore.
