In planning The Handbook volumes on Audition, we, the editors, made the
decision that there should be many authors, each writing about the work
in the field that he knew best through his own research, rather than a
few authors who would review areas of research with which they lacked
first hand familiarity. For the purposes of the chapters on Audition,
sensory physiology has been defined very broadly to include studies from
the many disciplines that contribute to our understanding of the
structures concerned with hearing and the processes that take place in
these structures in man and in lower animals. A number of chapters on
special topics have been included in order to present information that
might not be covered by the usual chapters dealing with anatomical,
physi- ological and behavioral aspects of hearing. We wish to thank all
authors of the volumes on Audition for the contributions that they have
made. We feel confident that their efforts will also be appreciated by
the many scientists and clinicians who will make use of the Handbook for
many years to come. WOLF D. KEIDEL WILLIAM D. NEFF Erlangen Bloomington
August 1974 Contents Introduction. By G. v. BEKESY t. With 3 Figures. .
. . . . . . 1 Chapter 1 Consideration of the Acoustic Stimulus. By R. R.
PFEIFFER. With Chapter 2 19 Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . 9 Comparative Anatomy of the Middle Ear. By O. W. HENSON Jr.
With Chapter 3 23 Figures. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
39 . . . . .