MEMOIB OE THE LATE ROBERT BALL, LL. D. 
29 
schools, and the science, in its higher grades, to form a regular part of 
the curriculum of our Colleges. His wishes were in part fulfilled, and 
he had, in more than one capacity, the high gratification of aiding in 
their advancement. 
In connexion with this subject should be mentioned his views for 
the improvement of our fisheries. The first step, in his opinion, was 
to give a special education to the fishermen themselves. He considered 
that a knowledge on their part of the habits and economy of fishes, and 
of the creatures on which they feed, was indispensable; and he there¬ 
fore urged that the aid of zoological science should be secured so as to 
make our fishermen thoroughly acquainted with their calling, and to 
render the fisheries themselves productive and profitable. 
A passing reference has been made to the ingenuity apparent in the 
structures erected in the Zoological Hardens, and in many of its arrange¬ 
ments. The tent-like house for the splendid specimen of the Plesiosaurus, 
the plan of the building containing the aquatic vivaria, and the simple 
method employed for aerating the tanks, are obvious examples. [Fer¬ 
tility of device was one of Dr. Ball’s mental characteristics, and it was 
continually manifesting itself in a great diversity of forms. It was, in 
fact, a very Proteus in its aspect. At one time it was a plan to prevent 
the evaporation of spirits from glass vessels ; at another, that of securing 
to his capacious fernery a regular supply of moisture. To-day it was the 
making of a naturalist’s dredge, so efficient that it was used by Edward 
Eorbes* 4 in the ZEgean ; to-morrow it was the restoration of the Harp 
of Brian Boroimhef by the collocation of its severed portions. Among 
his many inventions was the use of naptha as the medium for colours 
to be used for zoological diagrams. He found by this plan the draw¬ 
ings could be executed much more rapidly, and that they possessed an 
increased brilliancy of colour. In 1849 he communicated this to Mr. 
Tufien West, the eminent artist, who chanced at that time to be resident 
for a few weeks in Dublin. That gentleman tried the plan, and has 
given the highest attestation in his power of its merits, by using it in 
the execution of most of the natural history diagrams for the Queen’s 
Colleges of Galway, Cork, and Belfast. 
As ai$ example of Dr. Ball’s readiness of resource, the following cir¬ 
cumstance may be worthy of record:— 
The writer of the present memoir had undertaken, at the request of 
the Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, to deliver, at 
Marlborough-street, in November, 1845, a short course of zoological 
lectures to the male and female teachers then attending their classes. 
He had occasion to speak of the sea-jellies, sea-nettles, or jelly-fishes, 
as they are termed ; and, recollecting that many of his auditors were 
* A letter to a friend from the late Professor Forbes, written when engaged with 
Captain Graves in the Aegean, says, in speaking of the results he attained, “ Tell Ball 
that but for his dredge this could not have been accomplished.” It is described in Harvey’s 
excellent “ Sea-side Book.” 
f A description of this harp was printed by Dr. Ball. 
