Thunder Bird

Headdress or frontlet entitled "Thunder" Storm. The carved wood depicts a thunderbird with a curved beak. A frog sits atop the bird's head and there are two animal heads in profile beneath the bird. Abalone shell inlay is used around the perimeter of the carved wood and to heavily ornament the figures. Red flannel lines the upper edge of the carving. The wooden panel is set over a hide cap covered entirely with iridescent, mallard duck feathers. The back of the headdress is lined with a lower layer of white, down feathers, a middle layer of orange and black flicker feathers, and the top has sea lion whiskers attached. Below the down feathers, a long train of four tiers of white ermine pelts is attached to the back of the cap portion. The pelts are stitched onto a coarse, woven cloth that extends the length of the train.