THE COMPRESSED BURBOT OR EEL-POUT. 17 
may afford rational ground for guess-work. Will not some 
one having the opportunity make observations on these sin- 
gular organs in the living plant, in order to settle their func- 
tion? We know not anywhere else in the vegetable kingdom 
organs more apparently set apart for a special purpose, and 
yet we are in doubt about their meaning. 
Our native Sarracenia growing abundantly in swamps. 
with its cups, often the graves of drowned flies, is also called 
a pitcher plant, but differs widely in structure and habit from 
the Nepenthes. We allude to it now only to express our 
intention, if opportunity should offer, to illustrate its singu- 
lar structure, as well as that of others of these remarkable 
plants, which nature. seems to have appointed to set their 
traps among the swamps, but for what purpose, perhaps, we 
are not ready to explain. 
We have been assisted in illustrating this paper by Miss 
Mary Peart and Miss Emma Walter, and the drawings were 
made from specimens in our possession. 

THE COMPRESSED BURBOT OR EEL-POUT.* 
BY WILLIAM WOOD, M. D. 

Or the genus Lota, there are several species. The Eng- 
lish Burbolt (Burbot), as described by Yarrell in his work on 
British fishes, and by Couch, belongs to this genus, yet prob- 
ably is a different species from any in our lakes and rivers. 
Couch says, “the Burbolt (Burbot) is the only one of the 
extensive family of the codfishes which has its residence in 
fresh water, where it is distinguished by exhibiting some of 
pe * Lota compressa Lesueur, 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. III. 3 



