The horned war bonnet is less well known today than the eagle feather bonnet, yet it held the highest position in the eyes of the Plains, Prairies and Plateau Indian warriors and was definitely more popular in the firts half of the 19-th century amongst most of the tribes who later wore the flaring feather war bonnet. The horned bonnet was an insignia of some military societies and only a few of the highest­ranking warriors in each society were given the privilege to wear it. The accuracy of this statement is supported by the small number of horned bonnets which were collected by the Whites for museums and private collections. Furthermore, only a relative few are to be seen in old photographs in comparison to the feather style. And in each instance they are worn by eminent warriors of the tribes.