ZOOLOGICAL AND BOTANICAL ASSOCIATION. 27 



for the diffusion by its means of zoological knowledge. In connexion 

 with this Society, he delivered, in 1839, a public lecture upon Fishes 

 and Fisheries (" Saunders' News-Letter, " 24th May), dwelling par- 

 ticularly on the importance of fishermen being specially educated for 

 their calling, and suggesting a mode by which, in his opinion, that 

 education might be given. The lecture was well received ; led to an 

 extensive correspondence with Members of Parliament and other influ- 

 ential persons ; and was in part republished in various quarters. At a 

 later period the subject came under the notice of the Commissioners of 

 National Education for Ireland ; and they justly concluded that it would 

 be of importance that the children of fishermen should acquire a know- 

 ledge of the fishes of our coasts, the modes by which they are taken, 

 and the implements employed in their capture. Acting on this convic- 

 tion, they were pleased to pay Mr. Ball the high compliment of applying 

 to him, by letter dated 30th June, 1846, to furnish, for the use of their 

 schools, a small volume on Fishing; stating at the same time that it 

 should be written in a simple and intelligible style, suited to the capa- 

 cities of children from ten to fourteen years of age, and suggesting par- 

 ticular points that might with advantage be introduced. 



He most cordially undertook to perform the honourable task thus 

 assigned to him ; and, that nothing might be wanting on his part to 

 execute it in the most effective manner, he determined to become an 

 eyewitness of such methods of fishing as he had not already seen. 

 For this purpose he went to the Pilchard Fishery at Cornwall ; and was 

 exposed there from daybreak to midnight in one of the boats, during a 

 heavy swell, the day being calm and intensely hot. It unfortunately 

 happened that his head was but badly protected by a light cap. Dizzi- 

 ness, sharp pains in the head, and serious functional derangement, fol- 

 lowed, and affected him long afterwards. From this cause, combined 

 with the pressure of public business, the "Fishery Book" was never 

 completed. Returns to a series of questions were, however, procured 

 from 198 Coastguard stations round the Irish coast; and as these, along 

 with much additional matter, have been carefully preserved, it is to be 

 hoped that the information which they contain may yet be made avail- 

 able for the purpose for which it was collected. 



In 1840 he had tho gratification of making a tour to Galway and 

 Arran, with his friends, Professor Edward Forbes, Mr. W. Thompson, 

 and Mr. Hyndman. References to this tour occur in the publications 



