Samples of stratospheric air were obtained at altitudes up to about 35 km from balloon flights carried out at 4¿S (Brazil), 78¿S (Antarctica), and 41¿N (two flights, Wyoming) in 1978. The samples obtained were analyzed for methane using a gas chromatograph with flame ionization detection. The two Wyoming profiles and the Antarctica profile are similar. However, the Brazil profile, which is the first low-altitude stratospheric-methane profile reported, falls off much less rapidly with altitude, even when reduced to a common tropopause reference. The use of these methane profiles to deduce OH profiles is explored.