A method based on tetracycline labeling was developed for selecting, in frozen sections of fetal mouse femur, bone foci approximately 6, 24, 48 and 72 h of age. Microinterferometric measurements of these foci permitted a calculation of the effective thickness (t) and refractive index (n) of each focus. After demineralizing the sections by a method which left the organic portion of the bone intact, the foci were re-measured andt andn of the organic compartment of each focus were determined;t andn of the mineral compartment were calculated by difference. A sharp decrease and subsequent rise in then of whole bone occurred between 6 and 48 h. These changes derived from the mineral compartment, and were thought to have resulted from the formation of amorphous calcium phosphate and hydroxyapatite, respectively. The mineral present in 6 h foci, however, was believed to be some precursor of amorphous calcium phosphate.