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.
