Mr. Hughes actually sent me some of his ambergris! It was waterlogged, shrank to half its size when dry, and took on a consistency of dried cardboard once it shriveled. It also did not melt around a heated needle, the hallmark test for real ambergris. Nor did it dissolve in alcohol. It is ironic that he came to this site for advice on how to sell his flotsam and then argued how much he knew about the topic. He actually had to ask me what I wanted to use it for when I bought it! Such a waste of time, considering I work as a nurse on a cancer ward and had to work for four hours to earn money to send Mr. Thomas Huges of Manchester!