264 INTRODUCTION TO ZOOLOGY. 



fisheries. This was forcibly put forward by Mr. R. Ball, in 1839, in a 

 lecture delivered before the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland,* in which 

 he showed how much science might be made to conduce to the welfare of 

 fishermen, by affording them information on the nature and habits of fish, 

 their migration, and food, viewed in connection with the geological character 

 of the coast. He at the same time proposed a plan for imparting to them 

 scientific and practical instruction by means of nomadic or wandering 

 schools. 



Subsequently the application of science to our fisheries has been ably 

 urged, both in Londonf and Dublin, f by that eminent naturalist, Professor 

 Edward Forbes. He has shown that the North Atlantic Ocean may be 

 divided into certain zoological provinces; that each province owes its 

 characteristic features to geological changes which occurred in a certain 

 order; and that "the dispositions of the great sea-fisheries of Europe 

 depend upon the disposition of the existing zoological provinces of the 

 European seas." To the last point the learned lecturer called particular 

 attention, and strongly advocated scientific inquiry properly directed, and 

 the training and instruction of fishermen, as suggested by Mr. Ball. 



The great importance of this subject in its bearing upon the British 

 fisheries, and more especially upon those of Ireland, gives additional interest 

 to the following extract from the Thirteenth Report of the Commissioners 

 of National Education in Ireland. 



" VII. 33. The same practical character which we are anxious to give 

 to our country schools, by the mixture of agricultural with literary instruc- 

 tion, we shall endeavour to give to such of our own schools as are situated 

 on the coast, by uniting instruction more peculiarly applicable to maritime 

 districts, with the ordinary school education. With the view of promoting 

 this object, and of testing its practicability, we have made a larger grant 

 towards the establishment of a school in the town of Galway, at the fishing 

 station called the Claddagh. In this school it is proposed that the pupils 

 shall devote a portion of their time to acquiring a knowledge of navigation 

 and of the art of fishing, and shall be employed in manufacturing nets and 

 the various other articles required by fishermen in their trade." 



* Saunders's News-Letter, 24th May, 1839. 



t At the Royal Institution, 14th May; see Athenaeum, 22d May, 1847. 



t Before Zoological Society of Ireland, Saunders's News-Letter, 29th May, 1847. 



