In mature (450-600 g) 21 degrees C-acclimated male rats, anaesthetized with urethane, blood flow (measured by the radioactive microsphere technique) to brown adipose tissue (BAT) was determined during the infusion of the beta-adrenoceptor agonist BRL 28410 or noradrenaline bitartrate at doses chosen to give similar increases in whole body oxygen uptake. Blood flow to BAT during BRL 28410 infusion was only about one third of that found during noradrenaline infusion although increases in whole body thermogenesis were similar (55 and 77% for BRL 28410 and noradrenaline, respectively). This suggests that BAT may be less involved in the thermogenic response to BRL 28410 than to noradrenaline. In a separate experiment using slightly smaller rats (350-500 g) hind limb oxygen uptake was measured in situ using a venous bypass preparation. BRL 28410, at a dose having a maximum effect on whole body thermogenesis (53% increase), had no effect on oxygen delivery to the hind limb but significantly increased oxygen extraction by 33% (p less than 0.001). In contrast, noradrenaline, also at a dose that maximally increased whole body thermogenesis, led to a 35% decrease in oxygen delivery to the hind limb and no change in oxygen extraction. For the thermogenic beta-agonist BRL 28410 the hind limb, and presumably muscular tissue in general, may be contributing to thermogenesis.