given a home
because of the service rendered in keeping down toads and frogs. The
people who live in the lowest ground make nests for the storks upon
posts erected for the purpose, and almost every Dutch city has a pet
colony of these birds. The Dutch folk-lore tells of the tragedy of the
stork colony away back in the fifteenth century which occurred during
the breeding season. The town of Delft caught fire and when the older
storks made ready for flight their offspring were too young to fly and
too heavy to be carried, and rather than leave their young, the old
birds went back to their nests and perished.

The two great recreation amusements that everybody engages in are
cycling and skating. Roads are good so that the former can be practiced
the year around, while the latter, of course, can only be indulged in
during the winter time. These people become so skilled on the ice that
they can beat an express train, and to skate a hundred miles in an
afternoon is an ordinary excursion. Some years ago a record of four
miles in five minutes was established which is "going some" on skates.

In the beginning of winter when the skating season opens, the young men
and maidens have a great time going to the city of Gouda. The young men
go to buy long pipes and bring them home safely in their mouths or
pockets. The fair maidens try to waylay them and break these pipes.
Likewise the maidens purchase brittle cakes and attempt to carry them
home in bags without breaking them up, and the young men endeavor to
knock the bags from their hands and thus, "break the cake." They all
have a gay time.

Skating is ruled by a sort of a national society. The fee is so small
that everyone can join it. This society decides when skating is safe,
marks the routes and employs sweepers to keep these highways clear from
snow, etc. Everyone must obey the rules laid down by this society,
consequently accidents are rare. One week each year they have a great
festival called the "Kermis," which is not unlike the old-fashioned
carnival in this country. All kinds of amusements are engaged in and all
have a jolly time. St. Nicholas Day, which occurs on December fifth, is
also a great day in Holland, especially for the children.

The largest city in Holland is Amsterdam, which contains more than
one-half million people. This is a walled city, but the walls are water
in the shape of canals. There are four of them, the outermost being
called the Single or "Gi