SOLAR, AND STELLAR PROPER MOTIONS. 
167 
The result in the first line, like that in the first discussion, 
is peculiar by reason of the small number of stars and the 
occurrence of three large proper motions. Neglecting that 
result, there is found an almost uniformly increasing proper 
motion as the stars grow fainter, until the 9th magnitude 
stars are found to have a proper motion nearly three times as 
great as those of either the 2d., 3d., 4th. or 5th. magnitudes, 
and quite as large as the anomalous result for the 1st. mag¬ 
nitudes. 
Assumption, which has developed into a quasi theory, and 
gained general acceptation, asserts that the largest stars are 
nearest the solar system. Observation plainly shows this 
theory to be quite untenable. 
The following tables exhibit the magnitude, proper mo¬ 
tion and parallax of forty-six stars or, practically, all those 
whose parallaxes have been well determined. Most of this 
data was compiled by Dr. Oudemans 35 for a special occasion, 
and I have used his figures except where additional data 
have made changes necessary, or where less apparent accu¬ 
racy was sufficient for my purpose. 
The stars in Table IV are arranged in five nearly equal 
groups, according to magnitude of proper motion. 
Table V giving the mean results from each group in Table 
IV, presents some important features. 1°. The larger 
proper motions and parallaxes belong to the smaller stars- 
2°. The decrease in the numerical value of the parallaxes 
is accompanied by a corresponding decrease in the proper 
motions. 3°. The mean magnitude of the first two groups is 
5.58 and the mean proper motion is 3".63. Of the last three 
groups the mean magnitude is 2.86 and the mean proper 
motion is 0".49. 
35 Oudemans, J. A. C. Astronomiche Nachrichten 2915 ’6 ; 193. 
19-Bull. Phil. Soe., Wash., Vol. 11 
