On or about 0100-0400 hours, 8 January 1971, a pod of 29 pilot whales were stranded on the beach at Pyramid Cove, San Clemente Island. The pod appeared to be composed of mature females and juveniles of both sexes. Animals were strewn along the high tide line for about 200 yards. Most were oriented in parallel axis with the beach. In general, the skin from many contact surfaces (chin, flukes, etc.) was abraided off, presumably due to thrashing, post-mortem degeneration and tidal action. Carcasses, especially the viscera, were bloated and discolored due to post-mortem changes. Due to advanced decomposition the gastro-intestinal system was not systematically explored. Bacterial, toxicological and histological specimens were taken from several animals. The visceral and parietal serosal surfaces of thorax and abdomen appeared to be normal except for post-mortem changes and the presence of several parasitic modules. It is the current opinion of 14UC personnel that the grounding of this pod of pilot whales was a natural event comparable to those recorded for the same area for some 200 years. Meteorological and biological conditions (high tide, no surf, very slight wind, sloping beach with steep drop-off, and presence of spawning squid) created optimal conditions for stranding.