Chapters 9 through 12 Summary and Analysis

Fossey goes back to her initial meeting with Group 4. The dominant silverback has a congested sound, distinctive from the roar of most males, and Fossey names him Whinny. There's a tiny "ball of fluff" with a twisted finger that had obviously been broken at some point that Fossey believes to be Whinny's son and that she names Digit. There's also an older female who serves as "rear guard" for the group. Because she looks at Fossey "as though she had just swallowed a mouthful of vinegar," Fossey names her Old Goat. There are two additional silverbacks in the group, Uncle Bert and Amok, the latter named for his unstable temperament. The group has a total of fourteen members in 1967, including a female Fossey names Flossie and another juvenile named Papoose. Old Goat and Flossie soon have babies, named Tiger...