The distinction between ``swirls'' and ``striations'' in silicon crystals is reemphasized. The role of swirl‐nucleated stacking faults in introducing excess reverse currents inp‐njunctions is distinguished from the relatively inactive nature of striations with respect to carrier recombination‐generation effects. The suggestion of Yoshikawa and Chikawa of a crystal‐growth‐direction‐dependent electric field at striations has been examined using the electron‐beam‐induced‐current (EBIC) technique. The contrast effects observed at striations using the EBIC technique show no effects of growth‐dependent electric fields.