4,2 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
The thorax was, as in terrestrial quadrupeds, &c. 
separated from the abdomen by a diaphragm. The 
heart was the only viscus in this cavity that I was 
desirous of examining ; and, unfortunately, the har- 
poon with which the animal was killed, as I have 
already mentioned, entered it, and lacerated the 
principal part of it in such a manner that very little 
can be said respecting its peculiarities, if it had any. 
What I was more particularly desirous of ascertaining 
was, whether the foramen ovale was open or not ; and, 
from what I saw, I feel satisfied that it was not open, 
for a cicatrice was very plainly perceptible in the sep- 
tum between the auricles, with a sort of sinus leading 
from one side of it to the left auricle ; these, I have 
no doubt, then, were the remains of the passage in 
question. The stomach appeared small, considering 
the size of the animal. It lay transversely, imme- 
diately behind the diaphragm, in a sort of sigmoid 
flexure. The contents of it was examined very mi- 
nutely ; but it was found to contain nothing but a 
greenish, oleaginous matter, of a slimy consistence. 
My object in being particular in the examination of 
the stomach, was to ascertain whether it contained 
any stones, because we have well authenticated ac- 
counts of their being found in the bowels of these 
animals. Le Sieur de Villefort, Enseigne de Vaisseau, 
who sailed under M. de Beauchesne Gavin (a French 
navigator who went on a voyage to the South Seas 
many years ago), mentions their having killed a sea 
lion* in Port Desire, in whose stomach they found 
* It is perhaps necessary to mention, that the animal called the 
Sea Lion by the old navigators, is the same that is now generally 
known by the name of Walrus, or Sea Horse, in the Arctic Seas ; 
but I understand that in the Straits of Magellan, and on the 
islands in its neighbourhood, they are still called Sea Lions. 
