BUSBY

busby, the english name for a military head-dress of fur. possibly the original sense of a "busby wig" came from association with dr busby of westminster; but it is also derived from "buzz", in the phrase "buzz wig". in its first hungarian form the military busby was a cylindrical fur cap, having a "bag" of coloured cloth hanging from the top; the end of this bag was attached to the right shoulder as a defence against sword-cuts. in great britain "busbies" are of two kinds: (_a_) the hussar busby, cylindrical in shape, with a bag; this is worn by hussars and the royal horse artillery; (_b_) the rifle busby, a folding cap of astrachan, in shape somewhat resembling a "glengarry" but taller. both have straight plumes in the front of the headdress. the word "busby" is also used colloquially to denote the tall bear-and-raccoon-skin "caps" worn by foot-guards and fusiliers, and the full dress feather bonnet of highland infantry. cylindrical busbies were formerly worn by the artillery engineers and rifles, but these are now obsolete in the regular army, though still worn by some territorial and colonial troops of these arms.