In this study, tangential discontinuities (TDs) near -80¿ heliographic latitude have been studied. Based on our quantitative definitions, we find that the TDs may generally be divided into two clear types. There is a distinct population of TDs small (60¿). These TDs typically are found at the boundary between two streams. The discontinuities have large normals in the plane perpendicular to the background field, as might be expected for features generated by currents flowing along the field. These discontinuities usually have larger current intensities than those of the mirror-mode related TDs. The remainder of the discontinuities have angular changes which lie in between the mirror-mode-associated and the current-sheet-associated TDs. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1995