Several interesting features of the flow field in free-molecule flow through an orifice are discussed. An estimate is then made of the deviation of the mass flow $\dot{m}$ through the orifice from its limiting free-molecule value $\dot{m}$ for small departures from the limit. Using an iteration method proposed by Willis, it is shown that this deviation is of the first order in ε, the inverse Knudsen number, defined as the ratio of the radius of the hole to the mean free path in the gas at upstream infinity. An estimate of the coefficient is obtained making some reasonable assumptions about the three-dimensional nature of the flow, and the value so derived, giving $\dot{m}=\dot{m}(1+0.25\epsi)$, shows fair agreement with the measurements of Liepmann. It appears that ‘nearly’ free-molecular conditions prevail up to ε ∼ 1.0.