Bishop MuseumExplore

Journeys

The expeditions, reassembled

Every dated label is a diary entry. Read a collector’s labels in order and the voyage comes back: the islands in sequence, the days at each, the specimens from every stop. 1,980 journeys so far, 1874 to 2026, 356,126 specimens between them.

839 collectors and expeditions34,820 days in the field7,426,317 km between stops244,553 photographed specimens

A. Kitalong

3 islands · 4–15 Nov 2013

A. Kitalong in Palau, Palao and Ngeruktabel, 4–15 November 2013

93 specimens · 8 stops · 12 days

Charles N. Forbes

Oʻahu and Kauaʻi · Nov 1909 – Jan 1910

Charles N. Forbes in Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, November 1909 – January 1910

61 specimens · 15 stops · 61 days · 1,270 km

H. Nagamasu

3 islands of Japan · 7–21 Mar 1982

H. Nagamasu in Iriomote Island, Ishigaki Island and Iriomote, 7–21 March 1982

78 specimens · 12 stops · 15 days

Dale H. Vitt

3 islands of the United States · 6–22 Dec 1975

Dale H. Vitt in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, 6–22 December 1975

74 specimens · 14 stops · 17 days · 232 km

J.J. Wood

6 islands of Papua New Guinea · Sep – Dec 1975

J.J. Wood across 6 islands of Papua New Guinea, September – December 1975

67 specimens · 13 stops · 71 days · 5,279 km

Edward Yataro Hosaka

3 islands of the United States · 4–26 Apr 1939

Edward Yataro Hosaka in Maui, Hawaiʻi Island and Lānaʻi, 4–26 April 1939

69 specimens · 14 stops · 23 days · 337 km

J. Barrau

6 islands · Jan – Apr 1958

J. Barrau across 6 islands, January – April 1958

56 specimens · 22 stops · 81 days · 4,806 km

Johnson Randall

5 islands · Feb – May 1956

Johnson Randall across 5 islands, February – May 1956

111 specimens · 14 stops · 108 days · 128 km

Charles Walters

Tahiti and Oʻahu · May – Sep 1967

Charles Walters in Tahiti and Oʻahu, May – September 1967

110 specimens · 14 stops · 126 days · 8,847 km

Daud

Borneo and Sarawak · Jul – Oct 1938

Daud in Borneo and Sarawak, July – October 1938

50 specimens · 23 stops · 84 days

J.C. Wang

Taiwan · Nov 1984 – Jan 1985

J.C. Wang in Taiwan, November 1984 – January 1985

73 specimens · 9 stops · 48 days

Jacques Florence

4 islands of French Polynesia · Feb – Mar 1986

Jacques Florence across 4 islands of French Polynesia, February – March 1986

133 specimens · 7 stops · 27 days · 15,964 km

G.J. Spence

6 islands · Jan – Mar 1977

G.J. Spence across 6 islands, January – March 1977

88 specimens · 14 stops · 63 days · 10,053 km

M.T. Kao

Honshu and Japan · Jun – Jul 1972

M.T. Kao in Honshu and Japan, June – July 1972

74 specimens · 12 stops · 23 days

C. Corn

Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island · Jun – Jul 1977

C. Corn in Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island, June – July 1977

96 specimens · 6 stops · 31 days · 815 km

J.S. Burley

Sumatra · Nov – Dec 1988

J.S. Burley in Sumatra, November – December 1988

64 specimens · 17 stops · 34 days · 1,515 km

Whitney Expedition

12 islands of French Polynesia · Jun – Sep 1922

Whitney Expedition, June – September 1922

63 specimens · 16 stops · 86 days · 4,274 km

van Balgooy

Java and Bali · Sep – Oct 1985

van Balgooy in Java and Bali, September – October 1985

72 specimens · 10 stops · 37 days

D. Koroiveibau

Vanua Levu and Taveuni · Apr – May 1969

D. Koroiveibau in Vanua Levu and Taveuni, April – May 1969

123 specimens · 6 stops · 16 days · 8,079 km

W.T. Tsang

Hainan and Hainan Island · May – Jul 1929

W.T. Tsang in Hainan and Hainan Island, May – July 1929

50 specimens · 22 stops · 86 days

Arthur Greenwell

Hawaiʻi Island and Maui · Aug – Sep 1949

Arthur Greenwell in Hawaiʻi Island and Maui, August – September 1949

84 specimens · 10 stops · 17 days · 49 km

Robert L. Usinger

Guam · 2–27 Jun 1936

Robert L. Usinger in Guam, 2–27 June 1936

112 specimens · 4 stops · 26 days · 51,067 km

Arthur Greenwell

Kauaʻi · 4–19 Jan 1952

Arthur Greenwell in Kauaʻi, 4–19 January 1952

81 specimens · 11 stops · 16 days

E.H. Walker

4 islands · Jan – Apr 1949

E.H. Walker across 4 islands, January – April 1949

52 specimens · 22 stops · 69 days · 29,915 km

How a journey is found

Every specimen with a full date and a known collector is a diary entry. The days are read in order; a gap of more than three weeks ends one journey and starts the next. Days spent where a collector lived most of their life are home, not travel, and are left out.

A journey needs at least five days, forty specimens and two places. Within it, a run of days spent within about ten kilometres is one stop; the stop’s point is the middle of the labels that carry coordinates, or the island’s centre when none do.

Companions are the people whose own labels put them in the same place on the same days. Staff can name a journey, write about it and feature it; everything else here is read straight off the specimens, and is rebuilt as the records improve.