Strangely, just like the bat we featured earlier in the week, June is armadillo breeding month too, and prime time for their babies, also called "pups" to be born. This is planned, because June is often a warm month, and that means there are plenty of insects to root out as food for the young - that`s why the armadillos are more prone to damaging gardens and lawns at this time.
In our original reference book to the issues of W.D. & H.O. Wills, part four, we find out that this curious set falls under games, for it is written up as :
- 124. 48, ANIMALLOYS. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Sixteen animals, each divided into three sections, sections interchangeable to form comic combinations. Backs in grey, with instructions for interchanging, Home issue, 1934. Similar series known with Chinese inscription, no makers name.
By the time of our original World Tobacco Issues Index the description is much shorter,
- "ANIMALLOYS". Sm. Nd. (48). See RB.21/200-124.A ... ... W62-110
And this remains identical in our updated World Tobacco Issues Index, save a new card code of W675-144.
Now before I race on, the pictures only work because the animals are skewed in size, so that all the necks and rear ends are the same size, making it possible to make a creature that fits exactly together with a head, a body, and back legs. This is no mean feat, for the animals are :
- ALL - IGA - TOR (cards 1.2.3.)
- ANT - ELO - PE (cards 4.5.6.)
- ARM - ADI - LLO (cards 7.8.9)
- BUF - FA - LO (cards 10.11.12.)
- HIPP - OPOTA - MUS (cards 13.14.15.)
- IG - UA - NA (cards 16.17.18.)
- LE - OPA - RD (cards 19.20.21.)
- OP - OSSU - M (cards 22.23.24.)
- PLAT - Y - PUS (cards 25.26.27.)
- PORC - UPI - NE (cards 28.29.30.)
- RAC - COO - N (cards 31.32.33.)
- RHIN - OCE - ROS (cards 34.35.36.)
- TORT - OI - SE (cards 37.38.39.)
- WAP - IT - I (cards 40.41.42.)
- WE - ASE - L (cards 43.44.45.)
- WOLV - ERI - NE (cards 46.47.48.)
In addition, the way that the names are split between the cards means that your creature creating also ends up with a strange name