Mary Ball
Encyclopedia
Mary Ball was an Irish
naturalist
and entomologist most noted for her studies of Odonata
and for her discovery of the curious phenomenon of stridulation
in aquatic
bugs
.
The Ball family lived in Youghal
, County Cork
. Mary had two brothers — Robert and the curiously named Bent — and one sister, Anne, a well-known algologist
. The family was Protestant and "involved in trade
."
Robert encouraged Mary in her early insect studies, purchasing for her a copy of James Stephens
' Systematic Catalogue of British insects, published in 1829. In this she detailed the insects in her growing collection. At this time (1833) Mary began a correspondence with the Belfast
naturalist William Thompson. Her insect collection became large for the time and was very well known.
One interesting find was a specimen of the migratory locust
figured in John Curtis
British Entomology- Folio 608 Locusta christii dated August 1, 1836.. "In the cabinets of Miss Ball and the author"- "Another specimen, captured last September at Ardmore in the county of Waterford by Miss M. Ball has been kindly transmitted to me for my inspection by Mr Robert Ball of Dublin. It is of the same sex as the one figured but the elytra are much more spotted".
Mary Ball's Odonata were studied by the Belgian
entomologist Michel Edmond de Selys-Longchamps on his visit to Dublin.
After the successive deaths of her father in 1841, her mentor William Thompson in 1852 and her brother Robert in 1857, Mary seems to have given up entomology and taken to fern gardening
(then a craze). A success too: "If Aunt Mary had planted a parasol it would have grown into an umbrella," one of her nephews remarked.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
and entomologist most noted for her studies of Odonata
Odonata
Odonata is an order of insects, encompassing dragonflies and damselflies . The word dragonfly is also sometimes used to refer to all Odonata, but the back-formation odonate is a more correct English name for the group as a whole...
and for her discovery of the curious phenomenon of stridulation
Stridulation
Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fishes, snakes and spiders...
in aquatic
Aquatic animal
An aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract its oxygen from that dissolved in water through specialised organs called gills, or directly through its skin. Natural environments and the animals that...
bugs
Hemiptera
Hemiptera is an order of insects most often known as the true bugs , comprising around 50,000–80,000 species of cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, shield bugs, and others...
.
The Ball family lived in Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
. Mary had two brothers — Robert and the curiously named Bent — and one sister, Anne, a well-known algologist
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
. The family was Protestant and "involved in trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
."
James Francis Stephens
James Francis Stephens was an English entomologist.-Biography:Stephens was born in Shoreham-by-Sea and studied at Christ's Hospital.He was employed in the Admiralty office, Somerset House, from 1807 to 1845...
' Systematic Catalogue of British insects, published in 1829. In this she detailed the insects in her growing collection. At this time (1833) Mary began a correspondence with the Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
naturalist William Thompson. Her insect collection became large for the time and was very well known.
One interesting find was a specimen of the migratory locust
Migratory locust
The migratory locust is the most widespread locust species, and the only species in the genus Locusta. It occurs throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It used to be common in Europe but has now become rare there...
figured in John Curtis
John Curtis (entomologist)
John Curtis was an English entomologist and illustrator.-Biography:Curtis was born in Norwich and learned his engraving skills in the workshop of his father, Charles Morgan Curtis...
British Entomology- Folio 608 Locusta christii dated August 1, 1836.. "In the cabinets of Miss Ball and the author"- "Another specimen, captured last September at Ardmore in the county of Waterford by Miss M. Ball has been kindly transmitted to me for my inspection by Mr Robert Ball of Dublin. It is of the same sex as the one figured but the elytra are much more spotted".
Mary Ball's Odonata were studied by the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
entomologist Michel Edmond de Selys-Longchamps on his visit to Dublin.
After the successive deaths of her father in 1841, her mentor William Thompson in 1852 and her brother Robert in 1857, Mary seems to have given up entomology and taken to fern gardening
Pteridomania
Pteridomania or Fern-Fever was a craze for ferns. Victorian decorative arts presented the fern motif in pottery, glass, metal, textiles, wood, printed paper, and sculpture, with ferns "appearing on everything from christening presents to gravestones and memorials."-Description:Pteridomania, meaning...
(then a craze). A success too: "If Aunt Mary had planted a parasol it would have grown into an umbrella," one of her nephews remarked.
Publications
Mary, as was the convention, did not publish her work under her own name. The three known works were all communicated by her brother Robert. They are- On the sounds produced by the Notonectidae under water Annals and Magazine of Natural History 16:129.(1846)
- On the noises produced by one of the Notonectidae Report of the British Association for the Advancement of ScienceBritish Association for the Advancement of Scienceframe|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
.Notices and abstracts of communications Cambridge Meeting, June 1845:64-65.Ball, R. (1846).
- Corixa striata, CurtisJohn Curtis (entomologist)John Curtis was an English entomologist and illustrator.-Biography:Curtis was born in Norwich and learned his engraving skills in the workshop of his father, Charles Morgan Curtis...
. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 17:135-136. (18--)