1. A Chromatographic investigation was carried out on nitrolignin preparations obtained by the treatment of nonisolated lignin (fir wood chippings) with a mixture of ethanol and nitric acid, sp.gr. 1.4, under the conditions of Kurschner's method. 2. Chromatograms were obtained with three adsorption zones, which indicates the heterogeneity of the original nitrolignin. The nitrolignin of lower molecular weight was adsorbed in the upper layers of the column, and the nitrolignin of higher molecular weight was adsorbed lower down. 3. The work carried out enables us to pose the question of whether natural lignin is homogeneous so that the two main components obtained are formed only as a result of degration occurring during nitration, or whether they are the nitration products of a mixture of natural lignins.