212 SPORT IN NORWAY. 



elsewhere, the fashion is carried to the extreme without 

 any regard to tastefulness. 



These walking breeches, with long dangling sleeves 

 and short clipped head, with an ear on either side stick- 

 ing up as a handle, have scarcely anything human 

 about them, but possess a remarkable bearish look ; and 

 the word " Buze-bjorn " (or " Bear-breeches ") can only 

 be duly appreciated and understood on seeing a Sseters- 

 dal peasant. But there was good reason for abolishing 

 the old costume, for the knee-breeches, which were held 

 on the hips only by a single button, did not nearly come 

 up to the short waistcoat, thus leaving a large part of 

 the body uncovered, except by the thin shirt a very 

 insufficient protection against the severe climate of a 

 Fjeld district ; and the people maintain that colic and 

 cramps in the stomach are much less frequent than 

 formerly. It must, therefore, be allowed that in this 

 case appearance has been sacrificed to health ; a great 

 deal more than can be said of many other fashions that 

 have come into vogue in the world, in which a total 

 disregard to health and good taste has been the dis- 

 tinguishing feature. The dress is set off by a lively 

 array of buttons, an upright green collar, light green 

 facings, cords, and cuffs, with yellow and red embroidery 

 upon a grey ground. The soljer (silver brooches) and 

 silver studs are not wanting. 



The peasants' shoes have a peculiar turned-up peak, 



