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D03IESTIC MANNEKS OF THE PRUSSIANS.

It now belongs to Austria, by which power, indeed, ithas been possessed for the greater part of tlie time since theancient house of the Counts of Montford became extinctin 1547.

Bregenz contains at present 1500 inhabitants, and boastsseveral monasteries in its immediate neighbourhood,* themonks from which may be generally seen in the streets,Walking among the townsfolk with bare feet and bare shavenhead —except on rainy days, when they indulge in theworldly vanity of a cotton umbrella, even while delighting totramp shoeless and stockingless through the puddles. f

The costume of the peasant-women around Bregenz (theBregenzer-wälders), who on market-days crowd the streetsof the curious old city, is also sufficiently primitive andunlike the engravings in the " Courrier des Dames" to merit abrief description."

The dress consists of, (1), a peculiar kind of conical, blue-felt, brimless hat, which bulges out all round the head like theskull-protector of a French baby, and having plaits of hairshowing at the back.

(2), A cloth bodice, so tight and short-waisted that ithas the appearance of the neck-piece to a boy's blouse,and fitted with a pair of very high-shouldered "leg-of-mutton" sleeves, which are invariably of a different colourfrom the bodice itself. One lady whom we saw had a pair ofbrown silk sleeves, while the body of her dress was of blackcloth ; those of another peasant-woman were of green " stuff,"and a third rejoiced in sleeves made out of a half-mourningprint.

* The Swiss monks, driven from their own country, have recently purchasedtheruins of the Vorkloster here for 50,000 francs (2000/.).

f These monks beg alms for the poor. They are not allowed to take money,but go from house to house collecting bread and meat, &c, and all who come totheir kloster have food given them. The Capuchin monks have a monastery upthe hill at the back of the town,