My name is David Attenborough and I gave the Christmas
Lectures on animal behavior in 1973.
You might think that the orangutan would be a very good
subject to try and teach to talk.
Actually, not so, and for quite interesting reasons.
But the orangutan is, in the wild, a very solitary animal.
This is a mantis.
And he says beware by putting up his forelegs.
His forelegs have got barbs on them.
You see?
Would you like a bit of a grape?
Yes.
I think the Royal Institution champion ear-waggler for 1973
is
- [SHOUTING]
- Good Lord!
So he, too, is ferocious.
Now...
there we are.
Now I regret to have to tell you - ow!
In those days, they were all live.
I found it an extremely difficult thing to do, partly
because I tried to remain true to the traditions of the
lecture, which is that if you make a statement, you
have to prove it.
Now that's OK when you're talking about producing carbon
dioxide by pouring hydrochloric
acid on marble chips.
That's fine.
But when you want to say something about animal
behavior, animals aren't just chemical substances.
They have minds of their own.
And also, not only that, but they have to run to time.
So you had to produce a series of experiments in which
animals were going to do things.
And if they didn't do it in the time allocated, well then
you just had to move on to the next thing.
On his wrists, he has...
he has...
little, little...
[LAUGHTER]
Well, I don't think it's going to work.
No, I don't think it is.
You know, I never liked mice!
Oh, I suppose five weeks to go, four weeks to go, I
actually rang up the producer and said, "Look, I will pay a
lot of money.
I'm just going to break my contract.
I really can't do this." And he gave me a strong cup of
coffee and told me not to be silly.
If I get the gain turned up on this apparatus...
[TAPPING]
Indeed, quicker than I thought.
That noise is produced by an egg.
There he is.
It is a porcupine, as you can see.
Now, he's got a little alarmed, you see.
You see, he has erected his quills.
When he gets really angry, he lifts them up as though he was
raising his hairs so he looks even bigger and even more
formidable.
Knowing my luck, these two champion Indian hill mynahs
will now, from this moment, be as silent as the grave. But
there we are.
(SINGING) Polly put the kettle on.
(BIRD SINGING) Polly put the kettle on.
I gave the lectures way back in 1973.
It was a hair-raising experience, but I'm sure
they're just as good today as they ever were.
And I hope you'll enjoy them.