and positions of 36 double and triple stars , &c. 361 
No. XXIV. R. A. 1 7 h 4 m ; Decl. 26 0 18' S. 
36 Ophiuchi ; H. and S. 243. 
continued. 
In the case of 61 Cygni, by following a similar mode of 
observing, (but using six stars of comparison instead of two,) 
I satisfied myself in a very few months, of the enormous 
proper motion of that extraordinary double star. 
To those who may feel disposed thus to attack proper 
motion, I would hint, how indispensable it is, that their Equa- 
torial should be well clamped, and that they should wait 
during the observations of difference of declination, till the 
earth's diurnal motion bring each of the following stars, 
opposite that part of the wire where the bisection of the first 
star was made ; the results will then be charged with no 
instrumental error, which it is in their power to avoid : the 
observations also should be conducted as nearly on the meri- 
dian as possible. 
When the above was written, I was not aware that the 
star 38 Ophiuchi had been observed since the time of Flam- 
steed ; on examining however Piazzi’s catalogue, I find 
that it stands there under the name of 3 1 Scorpii, and that its 
place has been determined by 19 observations of that emi- 
nent astronomer ; perhaps therefore some light may at the 
present time, be thrown upon the subject under consideration ; 
but some corrections will be needed by our observations, to 
render them comparable with those, to which we are alluding. 
The star 36 Ophiuchi is composed of two stars of nearly 
equal magnitudes, and distant from each other 5". 2 00 ; whe- 
ther Bradley's instruments showed it double, does not 
appear; nor from Piazzi’s catalogue, does it seem that he 
saw it otherwise than as a single star ; hence it is fair to 
mdcccxxvi. 3 a 
