1823.] iome of the ptincijmljixed Stars. ^% 



heavens where the southern tendency is least discernible, and is 

 nearly quiescent; its proper motion in polar distance may, 

 therefore, be considered as uniform. There is a circumstance 

 that deserves notice, though it may be merely accidental : the 

 stars in the Greenwich catalogue, whose proper motions are 

 south, nearly equal in number those that are north, yet the 

 quantity of southern proper motion exceeds the northern in the 

 proportion of four to one. 



I shall at present offer no conjecture on the cause of these 

 deviations, but endeavour, by continued observations, more 

 accurately to ascertain the law which they follow. Should the 

 weather prove favourable for observation, I hope before thfe 

 Society separate for the summer, to be able to give greater accu- 

 racy to the numbers here subjoined. Indeed I should not have 

 made so early a communication on the subject, but as the 

 Greefiwich observations of 1820 are about to be published, they 

 might without this explanation have appeared erroneous ; for I 

 find that during that year the instrument was rather defective 

 from general unsteadiness, than from any perceptible deviation 

 of the telescope. It v/as not till after the month of Feb. 1821, 

 that the instrument got completely out of repair. It must 

 however be admitted, that the observations of that year ought 

 not to be employed in the determination of such small quantities 

 as form the subject of the present communication. 



Horizo?etaI Point of the Circle as found hy different Stars 

 observed hy direct Vision and llejiection from II th to 2Sd 

 March, 1822. 



h Urs. Maj 123° 30' 29-55'^ 



V 28-95 



m 29-75 



/5 29-45 



a 29-50 



29-05 



Castor 29-86 



Capella 29-55 



Pollux 29-95 



p Aurigae. , 29-35 



Mean of 10 29-54 



Sirius 29-47 



There being no perceptible difference in the results obtained 

 near the zenith and near the horizon, it may be concluded that 

 the instrument has no deviation, either from flexion of the tele- 

 scope or change of figure. 



