INTRODUCTION 
VII 
DESCRIPTION OF THE CATALOGUE. 
A few words more specifically descriptive of the contents of the Catalogue and 
explanatory of certain points in its scope, construction, and use may now be in 
order. First, let us consider the material of observation actually included in its 
construction. Search was made in every published catalogue of the following list 
for positions of stars contained in this Preliminary General Catalogue. It does not 
seem necessary to give the full title in each case, but only enough to make the 
identification clear. The abbreviations ordinarily employed in our manuscript 
computations to designate the respective catalogues are also given. 
Br 1755. Auwers’s new reduction of Bradley’s transit and quadrant observations, St. Petersburg, 
1888. 
Pi 00. Piazzi’s observations made at Palermo around 1800, second edition 1814. 
Groomb 10. The new reduction of Groombridge’s circumpolar observations around 1810, by 
Messrs. Dyson and Thackeray. 
Kon 15. Bessel’s right-ascensions from the Dolland Transit reduced to 1815, Konigsberger Observa¬ 
tions, Parts 39 and 40. The corresponding declinations have not been employed. 
Grw 15. Auwers’s new reduction of Pond’s observations at Greenwich, 1811-1819, reduced to 1815. 
Dpt 15. Right-ascensions from Struve’s transit-observations at Dorpat in 18x4-1815. ( Dor pat 
Observations, Vol. I, Part II.) Manuscript catalogue; see Rem. (4), App. Ill of 
this volume. 
Kon 20. Bessel’s fundamental observations, around 1825, with the Reichenbach Circle. The 
right-ascensions are taken partly from the Berlin Memoirs for 1825, p. 23, of Part II, 
and partly from the Konigsberger Observations, Vols. VI and X. The declinations are 
taken from Dollen’s revision of Bessel’s reduction, as published in Vol. II, Recueil 
de Mem. Obs. Cent, de Russie, pp. 203-232. 
Schwerd’s circumpolar observations reduced by Oeltzen to 1828. ( Denkschriften der 
Wiener Academie, Bd. X.) 
The Brisbane Catalogue for 1825. The right-ascensions are not employed. 
The observations of Fallows at the Cape of Good Hope. 
Airy’s Cambridge Observations for 1830. {Mem. R.A.S., Vol. X.) 
Wrottesley’s right-ascensions for 1830. {Mem. R.A.S., Vol. X.) 
Johnson’s Catalogue of 606 Stars for 1830 from St. Helena observations. 
Argelander’s Abo Catalogue for 1830. 
Pond’s catalogue of 1112 stars for 1830. 
Struve’s catalogue for 1830 in the Positiones Medice. “Correctiones Ultimae,” pp. 361- 
371, were first applied to the catalogue positions. The positions of certain standard 
stars given for 1824 were taken from the Introduction, pp. 48-50. 
Henderson’s observations at the Cape of Good Hope reduced to 1833. {Mem. R.A.S.) 
Downing’s new reduction to 1835 of Taylor’s Madras observations. 
Halm’s new catalogue for 1840 of Henderson’s observations at Edinburgh, 1835-1844. 
Robinson’s Armagh Catalogue for 1840. 
Cape Catalogue for 1840, reduced by Stone. 
Grw 40 and Grw 45. The two parts of the Greenwich 12 -yr. Catalogue. 
Radcl 45. The Radcliffe Catalogue of 6317 stars for 1845 by Johnson. 
Schw 28. 
Brisb 25. 
Cape 30. 
Camb 30. 
Wrot 30. 
St H 30. 
O 
Abo 30. 
Grw 30. 
Dpt 30. 
Cape 33. 
Madr 35. 
Edinb 40. 
Arm 40. 
Cape 40. 
