The Flavian amphitheater at Rome, known as the Colosseum from its colossal size, was begun by Vespasian, and finished by Titus 80 a.d., ten years after the destruction of Jerusalem. It was the largest structure of the kind, and is fortunately also the best preserved. It covers about five acres of ground, and was capable of seating over eighty thousand spectators. Its greatest length is six hundred and twelve feet, and its greatest breadth five hundred and fifteen, the corresponding figures for the Albert Hall in London being two hundred and seventy and two hundred and forty. On the occasion of its dedication by Titus, five thousand wild beasts were slain in the arena, the games lasting nearly a hundred days. The exterior is about one hundred and sixty feet in height, and consists of three rows of columns, Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, and, above all, a row of Corinthian pilasters. Between the columns there are arches, which form open galleries throughout the whole building; and between each alternate pilasters of the upper tier there is a window. Besides the podium, there were three tiers or stories of seats, corresponding to the external stories. The first of these is supposed to have contained twenty-four rows of seats; and the second, sixteen.

These were separated by a lofty wall from the third story, which contained the populace. The podium was a gallery surrounding the arena, in which the emperor, the senators, and vestal virgins had their seats. The building was covered by a temporary awning or wooden roof, the velarium. The open space in the center of the amphitheater was called arena, the Latin word for sand, because it was covered with sand or sawdust during the performances.

Exhibit Of Local Names. There are more than twenty-seven hundred counties in the United States. Of these, ten per cent, are named after presidents, and thirty-five per cent, after Americans who have not been presidents (1890).

1. Counties, etc., named from presidents:

Twenty-seven counties named Washington, besides cities and towns innumerable; 43 Jefferson; 21 Jackson; 17 Lincoln, Madison, and Monroe; 12 Polk; 10 Grant; 9 Adams and Harrison; 4 Garfield, Pierce, and Van Buren.

2. Counties, etc., named from Americans who have not been presidents:

Boone, Calhoun, Clay, Hancock, Putnam, Randolph, Scott, Webster and many more.

3. The following names are extravagant enough to hinder any place from rising into a bishopric. Only fancy a dignified clergyman signing himself "Yours faithfully, John---------," followed by one of the following names:

Alkaliburg, Bleeder's Gulch. Bloody Bend, Boanerges Ferry, Breeches Fork, Bludgeonsville, Bugville, Butter's Sell, Buried Pipe, Cairoville, Clean Deck, Daughter's Loss, Euchreville, Eurekapolis, Eurekaville (!), Fighting Cocks, Good Thunder, Hell and Nails Crossing, Hezekiahville, Hide and Seek, Jack Pot, Joker, Murderville, Nettle Carrier, Numaville, Peddlecake, Poker Flat, Pottawattomieville, Plumpville, Roaring Fox, Sharper's Creek, Skeletonville Agency, Soaker's Ranche, Spottedville, Starvation, Stuck-up-Canon, Thief's End, Tombstone, Ubet, Villa Realville, Yellow Medicine, Yuba Dam, etc.