Although nitrogen, 2,4-dichlorophenyl-p-nitrophenyl ether, is a relatively nontoxic herbicide, prenatal exposure to doses considerably less than the LD50 value for rats and mice produces numerous developmental defects that become apparent as the animals mature. In the present study postnatal development was observed following prenatal exposure during Days 7 to 17 of gestation at doses of 0, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg/day. These doses did not cause maternal toxicity as indicated by the viability of the dams or maternal weight gain during pregnancy. By 3 days of age all pups in the two highest dose groups were dead and 50% had died in the 100 mg/kg/day dose group. Some of the dead and moribund pups from the 200 mg/kg/day exposure group necropsied at three days of age had cleft palate (15%) or diaphragmatic hernia (6%). In addition, about 22% of the pups at 200 mg/kg/day developed a distended abdomen from gasping and swallowing air.