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Oils from castor seeds at different stages of ripening have been studied. The fatty acid composition has been determined by paper chromatography. The ratio of the weight of the kernel to the weight of the seed coat changes from 1.0: 1.24 (14 days) to 1.0:0.48 (45 days) and the oil content of the seed coat is negligible. Amounts of the individual fatty acids in 1 g of kernel as well as in a single seed have been shown. The amounts of ricinoleic, linoleic and stearic acids gradually increase with the ripening of the seeds whereas the amounts of oleic and palmitic acid after an initial increase upto 28 days gradually decrease towards the later stages of growth when the amounts are calculated on the basis of a single seed.