In the first part of this work the double refraction observed while measuring the attenuation of ultrasonic transverse waves in heat‐treated 4150 steel was investigated. Although the data are not complete, they suggest that this double refraction phenomenon can be utilized to detect the amount of preferred orientation of the crystallites in rolled steel when this orientation is small. Calculated values of fractional velocity differences are given.In the second part the theory of ultrasonic wave propagation in polycrystalline metal is discussed, and the effect of preferential orientation of crystallites on fractional velocity changes is indicated. The use of ultrasonic double refraction data for determining the extent of preferential orientation is discussed.