The phrase "small deer" is a play on words that sounds like "small beer." It means something insignificant or unimportant, just like a small deer compared to a bigger, more impressive one. Full definition
In his sixties, bright - eyed with a square jaw, the shaman wore traditional dress: a wide - brimmed hat, a brightly colored woven shoulder bag, flowing white pants, and a shirt embroidered with small deer figures and colorful peyote symbols. (discovermagazine.com)
They found that the leeches feed at least somewhat indiscriminately on a large variety of mammals, including small deer called muntjacs, macaque monkeys, wildcats, rodents like porcupines and rats, as well as a vulnerable species in the area, a gaur, or Indian bison. (sciencedaily.com)
Six million years ago, the wetlands and river valleys of southwestern China were full of life: tapirs and small deer strolled the shores, and the waters brimmed with clams. (sciencemag.org)