A possible relation of low-lying E1 strength ("pygmy resonance") and toroidal strength is analyzed by using Skyrme random-phase-approximation (RPA) results for the strength functions, transition densities and current fields in Pb-208. It is shown that the irrotational pygmy motion can appear as a local manifestation of the collective vortical toroidal dipole resonance (TDR) at the nuclear surface.
The RPA results are compared to unperturbed (1ph) ones.