1863. H. Kingsley, Austin Elliot, ch. xii. ‘They say that you flew
your kite at that girl of George Cecil’s who has married that prig,
Lord Mewstone.’
To fly the blue pigeon, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To steal lead from
roofs. See Blue-pigeon. Fr., faire la mastar au gras-double, or la
faire au mastar.
1785. Grose, Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter. Thieves who fly the blue pigeon,
that is, who steal lead off houses, or cut pipes away ... cut a
hundredweight of lead, which they wrap round their bodies next to
the skin. This they call a bible (q.v.), and what they steal and
put in their pockets, they call a testament (q.v.).
1887. Judy, 27 April, p. 200. A burglar whose particular lay was
flying the blue pigeon, i.e., stealing lead.