»a Mr, South's observations of the apparent distances 



No. CCCCVI. R. A. 1^ 59"^ ; Decl. 25° 5' N. 

 14 Arietis ; Struve, 56 ; VI. 69. 

 Double ; large, white ; small, blue ; 6th and 10th magnitudes. 



Blackman-street ; December 9, 1823 ; Five-feet Equatorial. 



Position = 8° 7' «p I 5 Obs. 

 Distance=i' 45".349 J 5 Obs. 



5S— '?,^' \ Difficult. 



DlfF. = 2'.020 j 



Stars very steady ; but the evening hazy. 



Blackman-street ; December 30, 1823 ; Seven-feet Equatorial. 

 6th and 10th magnitudes. 



Position =7° 49 n;> I 5 Obs. 



DiiF.=o° 32' ) 



Distances i'4s".i67 I 5 Obs. DifF.=o".S29) ...... 



Mean Result. 

 Position 7° 5^' np\ Distance 1. 45".258 ; Epoch 1823.97. 



The position and distance of this star in 1783 are stated at 

 11° 19! np and 1' 29" 28'". The change of position is not 

 material ; but with respect to the increase of distance, it may 

 be remarked once for all, that there is great reason to suspect 

 a considerable instrumental error in all the measures of that 

 early period, exceeding 40", the result being constantly (or 

 most commonly) in defect, and that not unfrequently to a 

 very large amount. The cause probably lies in the con- 

 struction of the micrometer used ;* and its effect is to throw 

 a great uncertainty on the earlier distances of all stars of the 

 5th and 6th classes. Fortunately these are the least replete 

 with interest. (H.) 



* It is certainly not from a wrong determination of its scale. 



