a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster, bounded on the east and south by St George's channel; on the west by the county of Armagh; and on the north by the county of Antrim. It lies opposite to the Isle of Man, Cumberland, and Westmoreland; and the north part of it fronts the Mull of Galloway in Scotland, and is about 44 miles from it. It is about 44 miles in length and 30 in breadth. It sends 14 members to parliament, two for the county, and 12 for the following boroughs, Down-Patrick, Newry, Newtown, Killelough, Bangor, and Hillsborough.

This county is rough and full of hills, and yet the air is temperate and healthy. The soil naturally produces wood, unless constantly kept open and ploughed; and the low grounds degenerate into bogs and moors, where the drains are neglected. But by the industry of the inhabitants it produces good crops of corn, particularly oats; and, where marl is found, barley. This last is exported from Killogh to Dublin. The staple commodity of this county is the linen manufacture.

Down-Patrick, a town of Ireland, in the county of Down, is one of the most ancient in that kingdom. It is a market-town and a bishopric, said to be erected in the fifth century by St Patrick, but is now united to the see of Connor. Within 200 paces of the town, on the ascent of a hill, are the ruins of an old cathedral, remarkable for the tomb of St Patrick the founder, in which they say the bodies of St Bridget and St Columb are also laid. The town, which is seated on the fourth corner of Lough Coin, now called the lake of Strangford, is adorned with several handsome public buildings. Among the hills, and in many islands, are flights of swans and other water-fowl; and the Lough abounds with salmon, mullets, and other sea-fish. About a mile from this town is St Patrick's well, which many people frequent to drink at some seasons of the year, and others to perform a penance enjoined them by the popish priests. The linen manufacture is carried on here, as it is in several places in this country. W. Long. 5° 50' N. Lat. 54° 23'.

Downs, the fine feathers from the breasts of several birds, particularly of the duck kind.—That of the eider-duck (see Anas, no. 17.) is the most valuable. These birds pluck it from their breasts and line their nests with it. We are told that the quantity of down found in one nest more than filled the crown of an hat, yet weighed no more than three quarters of an ounce. Br. Zool.—Three pounds of this down may be compressed into a space scarce bigger than one's fist; yet is afterwards so dilatable as to fill a quilt five feet square. Salern. Orn. p. 416.—That found in the nests is most valued, and termed live down; it is infinitely more elastic than that plucked from the dead bird, which is little esteemed in Iceland. The best sort is sold at 45 fish per pound when cleansed, and at 16 when not cleansed. There are generally exported every year, on the company's account, fifteen hundred or two thousand pounds of both sorts, exclusive of what is privately exported by foreigners. In 1750 the Iceland Company sold as much in quantity of this article as amounted to three thousand seven hundred and forty-five banco-dollars, besides what was sent directly to Glückstadt.—Von Troil, p. 146.

Down or hair of plants. See HAIR.