There are six different species of croakers, also called roncadores. Some individuals reach a weight of a hundred pounds.
Groupers, locally known as lapu-lapu, are found in great variety, no less than twenty-four species having been recorded.
Hardtails, reaching a length of three feet, are abundant.
Leather-jacks, commonly called dorados, are also very abundant. They take the spoon freely and fight well. In weight they commonly run from five to fifteen pounds.
There are several small species of mackerel which are excellent table fish and afford fair sport.
Pampanos are found in great variety, no less than thirty species having already been recorded. Individuals weighing as much as fifty pounds are not uncommon.
Porgies of twelve different species have been taken, and some of the individuals have weighed up to thirty pounds.
Of snappers we have thirty-four known species. The red snapper not infrequently attains a weight of twelve to fifteen pounds, and the larger individuals fight well. At times they take the spoon freely. The gray snapper runs up to forty pounds in weight and makes a good fight. The rivulated snapper, which takes its name from the form of its beautiful colour pattern, is a good game fish, and I have seen specimens which weighed up to twenty pounds.
Sea-bass of two distinct species are common. Specimens weighing fifty to seventy-five pounds are frequently seen in the markets. The largest specimen as yet recorded from the islands weighed three hundred thirty-four and a fourth pounds.
Spanish mackerel, or tanguingui, are common throughout the islands at the proper season. A very intelligent Filipino collector of natural history specimens in the service of the government, who saw my sixty-five-pound specimen landed, assured me that he had previously seen larger ones caught.