ABSTRACT
Obviously, the only part of the ear that can be seen is the outer ear (auricle or pinna), which is made of gristly cartilage (8). It is quite large and mobile compared with that of humans. Each ear can be turned by muscles from front to back within an almost 180 degrees semicircle, and the ears can also move independently to pick up sound waves from all around and so pinpoint the direction of sounds. Sound waves are funnelled down to the eardrum or tympanic membrane (9), a thin, delicate membrane that separates and seals off the outer ear from the middle ear.
