REMAEKS ABOUT SEALS. 



296 



at once, from tlic shape of it, that it is the true stomach of 

 a seal, most probably the Otaria pusilla, but I have no 

 positive information on this point. Thus you see here is 

 the organ with the swallow-tube, or cesophagua, near the 

 larger end ; and here the much narrower part, ending in the 

 pylorus, and being continued on into the small intestines. 



In this dried condition tha stomach and its contents 

 weighed 2 lbs. 2 ozs. ; the whole length is 14 inches, and 

 the circumference around the largest part is 9| inches. 

 With tlie viwcus in this dried condition you will perceive 

 there is very little room for any food to be contained ; but 

 no doubt, during life, the capacity, in a softened and elastic 

 Hstato, would be very much greater, and a certain amount of 

 foo<l movement and digestion could be carried on. Before 

 making an incision into the organ for the purpose of 

 examining the contents, I soaked it in water ; and then, 

 when it was softened and relaxed, the internal space was 

 much increased, and I could move these apparently packed 

 stones upon each other. 



I consider we have now suificient data to accept it as a 

 fact that these animals do, undoubtedly, swallow stones ; 

 the instance which I came across in the Zoolof^ical Gardens 

 and the testimony of several Cape gentlemen, must, I hold, 

 be of convincing potency. You may very naturally ask me 

 if there is any literature upon the subject, for in these days 

 everything noai'ly gets into print ; and in reply I must 

 admit I can gain very little testimony from this source. 



I have searched a great many books and a good number 

 of records, and I have applied for information in likely 

 ([uartors, but I have not much to offer. Mr. Wilson, the 

 excellent curator of our museum, very kindly found a para- 

 graph in the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society of 

 London," for the year 18G8, in which Mr. H. Brown 



