MEMOIR OF THE LATE ROBERT BALL, LL. D. 
17 
years, he never slackened nor wavered in his efforts for its welfare, and 
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 the 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 
of both the first-named gentlemen. Among the letters relating to it I 
find one from Mr. Ball to his wife, dated Roundwood, July 24, 1840. 
It appeared to have been written in red ink, which by fading had lost 
something of its original brightness. But on reading the letter, I find 
it is one in every respect very characteristic of its author, for it is 
written in the colouring matter ejected from-the Aplysia, or sea-hare, 
and contains, for Mrs. Ball’s satisfaction, a sketch of the animal, like¬ 
wise executed in the material which it had so unconsciously supplied. 
VOL. V.-REV. D 
