def _count(self, element=None):
        r"""
        Returns a dictionary containing the number of pores and throats in
        the network, stored under the keys 'pore' or 'throat'

        Parameters
        ----------
        element : string, optional
            Can be either 'pore' , 'pores', 'throat' or 'throats', which
            specifies which count to return.

        Returns
        -------
        A dictionary containing the number of pores and throats under the
        'pore' and 'throat' key respectively.

        See Also
        --------
        num_pores
        num_throats

        Notes
        -----
        The ability to send plurals is useful for some types of 'programmatic'
        access.  For instance, the standard argument for locations is pores
        or throats.  If these are bundled up in a **kwargs dict then you can
        just use the dict key in count() without removing the 's'.

        Examples
        --------
        >>> import openpnm as op
        >>> pn = op.network.Cubic(shape=[5, 5, 5])
        >>> pn._count('pore')
        125
        >>> pn._count('throat')
        300
        """
        element = self._parse_element(element=element, single=True)
        temp = sp.size(super(Base, self).__getitem__(element+'.all'))
        return temp