roe

(also ‘roe deer’)

a kind of animal – mammal – four-legged – grass-eating – belongs to the deer family – relatively small in size with reddish body and grey face fur (hair) that changes to grey or black in winter, cone-shaped head, short 3 pointed antlers (‘antlers’ = horn-like growth that drop off (shed) in non-breeding season and re-grow in breeding season) – only in males, clear, round eyes, leaf-like medium-sized straight ears, long pointed muzzle (= mouth and nose part) with black nose and white chin, long, slender neck, long slender legs, short tail (1-2 inch long), and a white patch on the backside below the tail (rump); size: 2-3 feet tall at the shoulder, 3-5 feet long, and weight: 15-30 Kg; feeds on (eats) grasses, leaves, young shoots and berries; lives for, on average, 5-7 years (some individuals can live up to 10-16 years); found in Europe, parts of Asia

male ~~ buck

female ~~ doe

baby ~~ fawn; kid

group ~~ herd

voice (call) ~~ (buck) bark, grunt; (doe) squeak

[The meat of the ‘roe deer’ eaten by people is called ‘venison’.]

Special Features:

The ‘roe deer’ is the national animals (?) of the United Kingdom; and the national animal of England and Scotland.

The roe deer is a graceful animal, and a relatively small one in the deer family.

Roe deer are the only deer that can re-grow their antlers even during winter.

Roe deer have been hunted for their meat, and for sport.

The buck roe deer only grows antlers which are short, straight and with three points.

{Note: The word ‘roe’ when used without ‘deer’ can also mean ‘the eggs of a fish’ all bunched together that look and feel like a handful of wet grain clumped together.}

roe (fish eggs)

Figures of Speech:

1.

as swank as a roe (deer) (‘swank’ = active, agile)

2.

to trip (or trot) like a roe  =  (of someone’s movements) to do something delicately and gracefully

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