Le ---- à la mélasse, _the rogue has a tall hat, with the inside of the crown besmeared with treacle, which he suddenly places on the head of the tradesman, pushing it far down over his eyes, and thus making him temporarily helpless_ (Pierre Delcourt, _Paris Voleur_). Le ---- à la quête, _stealing part of the proceeds of a collection in a church when the plate is being passed round_. Le ----, or vol à la reconnaissance, _consists in picking the pockets of a passer-by while pretending to recognize him and greeting him as an old friend_. Le ----, or vol à la tire, _according to Monsieur Claude, formerly head of the detective department, this species of theft is the classical one in which the celebrated Cartouche, a kind of French Jack Sheppard, was an adept. It consists in picking waistcoat pockets by means of a pair of scissors or a double-bladed penknife._ Le ----, or vol à l’épate, _is high-class swindling_. _It comprises_ “le brodage,” “le chantage,” “le négoce,” _and_ “le vol au cautionnement.” _The first of these consists in the setting-up of a financial establishment and opening an account for unwary merchants, who are made to sign bills in exchange for the swindlers’ paper endorsed by them. When these bills become due they are returned dishonoured, so that the victimized merchants are responsible for the payment not only of their own notes of hand but those of the swindlers as well_. “Le chantage” _is extorting money by threat of exposure_. The proceeds are termed in the English slang “socket-money.” For full explanation see CHANTEUR. “Le négoce” _is practised by English swindlers who represent themselves as being the agents of some well-known firm, and thus obtain goods from continental merchants in exchange for fictitious bills_. “Le vol au cautionnement,” _the rogues set up a sham financial establishment and advertise for a number of clerks to be employed by the firm on the condition of leaving a deposit as a guarantee. When a large staff of officials, or rather pigeons, have been found, the managers decamp with the deposit fund_. Le ----, or vol à la roulotte or roulante, _the thief jumps on the box of a vehicle temporarily left in the street by its owner and drives off at a gallop. Sometimes the horse alone is disposed of, the vehicle being left in some out-of-the-way place_. _The_ “roulottiers” _also steal hawkers’ hand-barrows_, or “shallows.” One of these rogues, when apprehended, confessed to having stolen thirty-three hand-barrows, fifty-three vans or carts, and as many horses. Sometimes the “roulottier” will rob property from cabs or carriages by climbing up behind and cutting the straps that secure the luggage on the roof. His English representative is termed a “dragsman,” according to Mr. James Greenwood. See _The Seven Curses of London_, p. 87. Le ----, or vol à l’esbrouffe, _picking the pockets of a passer-by while hustling him as if by accident_, termed “ramping.” Le ----, or vol à l’étourneau,