The New -York Historical Society the study of biology and the history of painting at an early age. At twenty-two he started a three-year successful search for ornithological specimens in the Ural and Caucasus Mountains for private collectors and public institutions. After this he came to the United States as correspondent for several European papers and arranged art exhibitions of American paintings in many museums and art societies throughout the country. He edited the four-volume edition of Lawrence Park's work on Gilbert Stuart for the Frick Art Reference Library and gave frequent gallery talks and lectures. From 1926 to 1929 he traveled in Europe visiting and studying the paintings in practically all the museums of the principal countries. He returned to the United States to spend the following six years in an extensive survey of early American paintings. This carried him through the thirteen original colonies, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and many other states as well, during which, in the highways and byways he embraced the opportunity of becoming intimately acquainted with thousands of paintings and miniatures in museums, historical societies, public buildings of all kinds and private homes, to the end that he probably forgets more of early American art before breakfast than anyone else is likely ever to know. That is the background, very briefly stated, of the kindly gentleman whom The New-York Historical Society has hoped for a long time to attract to its staff, for the purpose not only of imparting his vast fund of information to students of today but of preserving for posterity the knowledge that has been acquired by Mr. Sawitzky over a lifetime of study. Let's sit in at one of the lectures. We are in the very exquisite and cosy auditorium of the Society and a sense of quiet serenity prevails, beautiful portraits of illustrious persons painted by De- Witt Lockman look out upon us and immediately Mr. Sawitzky enters and bids us "Good afternoon,"there is a feeling of authenticity about what he says that grows with his every observation.