This word is derived from the Greek κληδων, which signifies two things; viz. _rumour_, a report, and _avis_, a bird; in the first sense, _Cledonism_ should denote a kind of divination drawn from words occasionally uttered. Cicero observes, that the Pythagoreans made observations not only of the words of the gods, but of those of men; and accordingly believed the pronouncing of certain words, _e. g._ _incendium_, at a meal, very unlucky. Thus, instead of prison, they used the words _domicilium_; and to avoid erinnyes, said _Eumenides_. In the second sense, Cledonism should seem a divination drawn from birds; the same with ornithomantia. COSCINOMANCY. As the word implies, is the art of divination by means of a sieve. The sieve being suspended, after repeating a certain form of words, it is taken between two fingers only; and the names of the parties suspected, repeated: he at whose name the sieve turns, trembles or shakes, is reputed guilty of the evil in question. This doubtless must be a very ancient practice. Theocritus, in his third Idyllion, mentions a woman who was very skilful in it. It was sometimes also practised by suspending the sieve by a thread, or fixing it to the points of a pair of scissars, giving it room to turn, and naming as before the parties suspected: in this manner Coscinomancy is still practised in some parts of England. From Theocritus it appears, that it was not only used to find out persons unknown, but also to discover the secrets of those who were. CAPNOMANCY, Is a kind of divination by means of smoke, used by the ancients in their sacrifices. The general rule was—when the smoke was thin and light, and ascended straight up, it was a good omen; if on the contrary, it was an ill one. There was another species of Capnomancy which consisted in observing the smoke arising from poppy and jessamin seed, cast upon burning coals. CATOPTROMANCY, Is another species of divination used by the ancients, performed by means of a mirror. Pausanias says, that this method of divination was in use among the Achaians; where those who were sick, and in danger of death, let down a mirror, or looking-glass, fastened by a thread, into a fountain before the temple of Ceres; then looking in the glass, if they saw a ghastly disfigured face, they took it as a sure sign of death; but, on the contrary, if the face appeared fresh and healthy, it was a token of recovery. Sometimes glasses were used without water, and the images of future things, it is said, were represented in them. CHIROMANCY, Is the art of divining the fate, temperament, and disposition of a person by the lines and lineaments of the hands. There are a great many authors on this vain and trifling art, viz. Artemidorus, Fludd, Johannes De Indagine, Taconerus, and M. De le Chambre, who are among the best.