in the position of some of the principal fixed stars. 
539 
Explanation of the preceding Tables. 
Table I. is nearly the same as published in the Philoso- 
phical Transactions for 1806. The Greenwich Catalogue is 
corrected for flexure, and the other catalogues corrected each 
by a common quantity, so as to make the polar distance of 
y Draconis 38° 28' 54", the same as in the Greenwich Ca- 
talogue. 
It may be doubted whether the Palermo Catalogue can, 
with any propriety, be introduced in this investigation, con- 
sidering that the observations were made in a different lati- 
tude, and computed by a different table of refraction. The 
discordances in these catalogues are very considerable, and 
show that very little reliance can be placed even on the most 
probable mean of them all. 
Table II. shows the southern motion, as deduced from the 
Greenwich Catalogue of 1800, corrected for the flexure of 
the mural quadrant, 
Table III. in the same manner, shows the southern motion 
deduced from the Westbury Catalogue. 
Table IV. shows the southern motion deduced from the 
mean of all the Catalogues. From this Table it appears, that 
however doubtful the determination may be, as deduced from 
any particular star, yet the general tendency of motion to the 
southward is so obvious, as to leave but little room to doubt 
of its reality. 
Table V. contains interpolated places for the years 1780, 
1790, 1800, 1813. These Tables are formed upon the sup- 
position that no southern motion exists, but the proper motions 
