The external ear is a specialized appendage of the skin. It is composed of a tube and trumpet-like outer expansion of cartilage lined by skin. Bone replaces cartilage as the skeleton at the inner end of the tube. It would be expected, therefore, that neoplasms of the external ear were mainly those of skin, cartilage and bone. Indeed any skin tumour may occur on the external ear. The following account will deal only with those that have a special predilection for that organ and those posing special diagnostic histological and clinical problems. Moreover the presence of ceruminous glands in the ear canal contributes a group of neoplasms which are unique to that area.