Background
Valentine was the second son of Robert Ball and was born in Dublin.
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Valentine Ball
Edit Profileornithologist university professor Zoologist
Education
In 1872 and Doctor of Laws in 1889.
Career
Ball worked in India for twenty years before returning to take up a position in Ireland. He received his early education at Chester and later at the private schools of Doctor Henry and Doctor Benson at Dublin. He then went to the University of Dublin obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in 1864, Master of Arts He was elected Fellow of the Geological Society of London in Ball joined the Geological Survey of India in 1864 and served until He also contributed to studies in ornithology and anthropology.
He was made a Fellow of the Calcutta University (1875).
His expertise on the central Indian region in search of coal-fields also led to his advice being sought for the best rail route between Bombay and Calcutta. Returning to Ireland in 1881, he became professor of geology and mineralogy at the University of Dublin.
In 1883 he became director of the Dublin Science and Art Museum, now the National Museum of Ireland. He was a secretary of the Royal Geological Society.
He was a regular contributor to Stray Feathers, the ornithological journal founded by Allan Octavian Hume.
The Andaman scops owl (Otus balli) was named after him by Hume. His writings included Jungle-Life in India (1880), The Diamonds, Coal, and Gold of India (1881), The Economic Geology of India (1881), translation of Tavernier"s Travels in India (1889) and numerous notes to the journals. Ball married the eldest daughter of John Stewart Moore, of Moyarget, Antrim in 1869 and had four children.
Membership
Royal Society.
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Born
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Died
June 15, 1894 (aged 50) -
Nationality
United Kingdom