  While the mammalian- and the avian inner ears have well defined tonotopic
organizations as well as hair cells specialized for motile and sensing roles,
the structural organization of the avian ear is different from its mammalian
cochlear counterpart. Presumably this difference stems from the difference in
the way motile hair cells function. Short hair cells, whose role is considered
analogous to mammalian outer hair cells, presumably depends on their hair
bundles, and not motility of their cell body, in providing the motile elements
of the cochlear amplifier. This report focuses on the role of the avian
tectorial membrane, specifically by addressing the question, "Why is the avian
tectorial membrane tapered from the neural to the abneural direction?"
