Charles Harbison
Biography
Research Trips
Junior Naturalist
Bibliography

History of the Museum
Related Biographies
Research Library Archives

Charles "Harbie" Harbison (1904–1989)

Harbison's Research Trips

1930's ~ 1940s ~ 1950s ~ 1960s

An important part of the research history of the San Diego Natural History Museum has been the many collecting trips organized by scientists since the early 1900s. These trips covered areas such as southern California, Baja California, central and southwestern Arizona as well as places like the Coronado Islands and Guadalupe Island; specimens were gathered for research as well as for museum display. Charles Harbison began taking research trips almost as soon as he began his career with the museum.

On his first trip in 1935, an East Coast sphinx moth collector had hired Harbison as an expedition leader to search for moths in northern Baja. Though that trip was not specifically for the museum it was to be a model for the countless trips that Harbison would make throughout his career. Typically Harbison would set out in his Model A car, packed to the gills with various supplies, and then return home with specimens of all kinds. Harbison was not only interested in collecting and researching insect species but also taking note of other animals and plants in the area, often helping fellow researchers such as L. M. Huey with the collecting of specimens. Though Harbison himself did not chronicle the research trips he made, some accounts of these trips have survived from different sources, including newspaper and/or bulletin articles, journals of other staff members such as L. M. Huey, or even permit requests from the museum director for the scientists. The following timeline chronicles Harbison's participation in research trips from the 1930s through the 1960s.

1935
Harbison is hired along with a C.M. Brown by a sphinx moth collector from the East Coast to explore the northern half of the Baja peninsula in search of moths. The trip takes most of February and March of that year and ends near Punta Prieta. This was one of the trips where Harbison traveled by his infamous Model A car, "Susie."

1936
November 12, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey and Mr. Lichty on research trip to Cantillas Canyon. Harbison helps to trap some specimens of birds and mammals for Huey. On one occasion Harbison gives Huey a scare when he fails to turn up for several hours; "it seems Harbison had not returned and I commenced to worry a bit over his absence. He finally turned up about 7p.m.---2 hours after….tired and hungry- having neither lunch nor water with him. He had eaten part of a barrel cactus and found a drink of water in the middle of the afternoon in the upper reaches of the canyon."

1937
February 29, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey and Morris Bloomfield on a moth and mammal collecting trip. The areas they plan on going to include Tinajas Altar, Tube Wells, Agua Dulca Mountains, and Piracho in central and southwest Arizona. The trip lasted through the 25th of March.

1939
November 14, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey on a research trip to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. On Nov. 26, they moved on to a new area called Quatovaquita. "Insect collecting looked very bright as numerous butterflies were present and gave Harbie many thrills." Dec. 1- Harbison catches wild boar babies when the mother abandons them. Dec. 2- One of the little pigs, whose sibling had died, is being tamed by Harbison; "It follows him about like a little dog…" Dec. 7- "caught moths all evening. A heavy flight of very interesting species was on and Harbie wanted all he could get."

1940
April 9, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey and the Bancrofts bound for central and lower California. First camp is eight miles east of San Vicenta. April 14/15- This entry recounts the story of how Harbie did not return after dinner; the others left the car lights on for him, but he did not find his way back until the next morning. Note: the last part of the notes from this trip is missing.

1941
May 8, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey on a trip to western and central Arizona. May 9- Entry talks about a hole in the gas tank; Harbison stops it up with his finger till a plug of some sort is made. With only seven of the 17 gallons left, they are at least 40 miles away from everything, and slightly worried, but obviously able to proceed. May 14- "Harbie collected insects up the wash and in the evening as he was setting his line of traps he caught a male gila monster."

1947
March 13, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey on a six-week trip to central Baja California. This trip was to be the first expedition since December of 1941, owing to the war. The locations to be visited were San Francisquito Bay, Los Angeles Bay and Santa Catarina Landing. Huey's main objective was to finish gathering data on the kangaroo rats of the area, while Harbison was to gather herbarium and entomological specimens for the museum's collections from those localities that were not as yet represented. They returned with specimens of kangaroo rats as well as dwarf screech owls, desert flies and bees, tiny elf owls, pocket gophers, new specimens of the bright red cardinal bird first found in the area in 1944, and specimens of cacti and marine fossils. It should also be noted that from this trip duplicate collections would also be made for the Mexican Government under the exploratory agreement, as a token of good will for all the permits that were granted in order to make the research possible.

1952
March, (Exact date unknown), Harbison accompanies Ethel B. Higgins on a trip that covers the length of the Baja Peninsula.

1953
September 7-11, Harbison accompanies James Sams and Richard Schwenkmeyer to the Tajo Canyon region of Baja. Trip listed as for "study and collecting purposes". November 5-21, Harbison accompanies Ethel B. Higgins and Cornelia Heller to the vicinities of La Paz and Loreto in Baja. Trip listed as being for the "scientific collecting of fauna and flora" in the region.

1953
March 30-April 3, Harbison is part of a group excursion that included Richard Schwenkmeyer, Charles Kingery, Jerry Powell, George Pournelle, James Sams, and William McTear. The trip is to Baja, in the areas of Cantilles, or Tajo Canyon near Rancho El Topo on the desert side of Sierra Juarez. The trip was listed as for collecting "fauna & flora of the region." -

1953
August 21, Harbison accompanies L. M. Huey, Eva Huey, and Wesley Farmer on a two-week trip to Baja, in the San Quintin region. August 23- "Harbie was lucky and caught a Dipodomys gravipes." This is noted by Huey as being the southern most example of that species and very rare. August 24- "Harbie had a grand day in and around the tule pond." September 14-19, Harbison is reported as going alone into the Tajo Canyon area of Baja for "scientific study and collecting." October, (exact date unknown,) Harbison to accompany Francis X. Williams to the Tajo Canyon region of Baja. Trip planned for the "collection and study of scientific specimens of fauna and flora of that region." 1953- December 7-12, Harbison to accompany Ethel B. Higgins to the El Rosario region of Baja. Trip planned for "scientific study and collecting in that region."

1958
(Exact dates unknown,) Harbison takes part in the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Doldrums Expedition. This boat trip took him to Clipperton Island, which is 1,000 miles west of Costa Rica and Barro Colorado Island, off of Panama. A collection of insects from the trip was later displayed at the museum in March 1965. Harbison was quoted as saying, "This trip was an apex of my career."

1962
(Exact dates unknown,) Harbison takes part in the Vermillion Sea Expedition to the Gulf of California. The group visits 32 islands of the region. Harbison collects over 10,000 insect and arachnid specimens.

1968
In late August/early September, Harbison and "several other members of the museum staff" spent three days observing plants and insects in the Topo Cantil region of Baja.

1930's ~ 1940s ~ 1950s ~ 1960s