v. Venery. Also 7 troyte, trout, throat; 9 erron. froat. [Cf. OF. trout (Godef.), also trut, an interjection for urging on hunting dogs, asses, sheep. Cf. also ROUT v.3 to bellow.] intr. To cry or bellow: said of a buck at rutting time; cf. BELL v.4 2, BELLOW v. 2, GROAN v. 2. Hence Troating vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Réer, In tearmes of hunting we say, that … the fallow troytes or croynes. Ibid., Rere, to bellow as a Stag, to trout as a Buck.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, III. ix. 338. Here … the throating Bucks (are said) to lodge.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Buck, A Buck Growneth or Troateth, makes a Noise at Rutting time.
1727. Bradley’s Fam. Dict., s.v. Buck-hunting, He groans and troats, as a Hart belleth.
1847–78. Halliwell, Troat, to bellow, said of the buck.
1900. Sporting Phraseology, in Shooting Times, 15 Dec., 15/1. Froating or troating, call of buck.
b. Said of a swan.
1839. G. Darley, Nepenthe, I. (1897), 20.
| Bending her [the swan’s] slow beak round, and sees | |
| Her grandeur as she floats along | |
| Gracefully ruffled by the breeze, | |
| And troats for joy, too proud for song. |
