the housewife fills a thimble full of salt for each member of the family and each guest; the contents of the thimblefuls are emptied out in as many neat piles on a plate, and left there over night. Next morning the piles are examined, and if any of them has fallen down, he or she whom it represents will die within the year.This, of course, is in the days when salt did not come with an anti-caking agent added.
Also, this word could refer to the unlucky omen designated by the spilling of salt. This, nowadays, is expiated by throwing a little of the spilt salt over the shoulder. This superstition dates back to Roman times.
Also in the erroneous form alomancy.
1864 Websters (OED): alomancy.
1898 OED. [citing Websters; missing Roget as the earliest example]
1899 Century Dict. (1903) IV: halomancy.. Divination in some manner by means of salt. Also written, less properly, alomancy.
1908 Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dict. i.: halomancy..Divination with salts.
1910 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) supp.: halomancy..Divination by means of salt. (A better form of Alomancy, I. 151.)
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict.: halomancy [minor words list]
c1920 Cassell's New Eng. Dict.: halomancy..Divination by salt.
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16: halomancy, salt.
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict. halomancy..fortunetelling with salt.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6: halomancy (salt)
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x.
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies & -Isms (3rd ed.)
210: halomancy a form of divination involving the use of salt.
Also called alomancy.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient & Forbidden Knowledge 466: HALOMANCY: Another term for Alomancy, or divination by salt.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. & Prophecy (1989) 311: See alomancy.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 144: Halomancy Divination by casting salt into a fire.
1985 N. Drury Dict. Mysticism & Occult:
1993 McCormack Q&A 70: HALOMANCY - salt.
1888 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon III: Hæmatomantia. (haima, the blood; manteia, a divination. F. hématomantie.) Term for diagnosis formed by examining the condition of the blood.
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies & -Isms (3rd ed.)
210: hematomancy, haematomancy divination by means of
blood.
1973 Collier's Encyc. x. 211/1: Hepatomancy...animal
livers
Derived from the ancient Greek hidros sweat.
1888 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon III: Hidromancy. Same
as Hidromantia.
Ibid. Hidromantia. (Hidros sweat; manteia
divination. F. hidromantie.) Prognosis formed on the
examination of the sweat.
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict. hidromancy [minor
words list]
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 77: Hydromancy
(also hidromancy, ydromancy) - signs derived from water, its tides
and ebbs, or spirits dwelling therein.
Potter quoting Clemens Alexandrinus Stromateis.
By some [hieromancy] was feigned to have been first occasioned,
or very much improved, by the death of the Delphian Sibyl, whose
body being reduced to earth, imparted first to herbs, and by
their means to beasts, which fed on them, a power of divining:
as also those other parts of her, which mixed with the air,
are said to have occasioned the divination by ominous words.
1753 Chambers in OED. [hieromantia]
1970 Man, Myth & Magic v. 658: Hieromancy - by observation of sacrificed things.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient & Forbidden Knowledge 466: HARUSPICY, HIEROMANCY, HIEROSCOPY: These all had to do with observing objects of Ancient scarifice [sic] and drawing prophetic conclusions.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. & Prophecy (1989) 318: HIEROMANCY: Divination through various forms of sacrifice, or preparation for such, especially when performed by adepts in accordance with accepted rituals.
1993 McCormack Q&A 70: HIEROMANCY/HARUSPICY - appearance of sacrifices or entrails.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511: ..by sacrificial appearances, Aruspicy (or Haruspicy, Hieromancy, Hieroscopy, by the entrails of animals sacrificed, Hieromancy...
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. i.: hieromancy..Divination by observing the various things offered in sacrifice.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang.: hieromancy..Divination by sacrifices. Todd.
1898 OED.
1899 Century Dict. (1903) IV: hieromancy.. Divination by observing the objects offered in sacrifice.
1908 Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dict. i.: hieromancy..The art of divination by observing things offered in sacrifice.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) IV
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict.: hieromancy .. Divination by observing the objects offered in sacrifice. [minor words list]
c1920 Cassell's New Eng. Dict.: hieromancy..Divination by things offered in sacrifice.
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16: hieromancy, entrails of sacrificed animals.
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict.: hieromancy..fortunetelling by observing and interpreting various sacrifices.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6: pieromancy [sic] (animal entrails)
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies & -Isms (3rd ed.) 210: hieromancy a form of divination involving sacrificial remains or sacred objects. Also called hieroscopy.
1988 Chambers Eng. Dict.
Derived from New Latin hippomantia, from Greek hippos a horse.
1911 Encyc. of Religion & Ethics (1967) iv. 820/1: There is also a trace of hippomancy in Persia. According to Herodotus (iii. 84-87), after Darius and six other Persian nobles had slain the pseudo-Smerdis, they agreed that he should be king whose horse should first neigh after sunrise, when they had mounted their steeds.
1920 L. Spence Encyc. Occult 210/1: Hippomancy: A method of divination practised by the ancient Celts, who kept certain white horses in consecrated groves. These were made to walk immediately after the sacred car, and auguries were drawn from their movements. The ancient Germans kept similar steeds in their temples. If on leaving these on the outbreak of hostilities they crossed the threshold with the left foot first, the presage was regarded as an evil one, and the war was abandoned.
1953 Gaynor (ed.) Dict. Mysticism (1974) 78: Hippomancy: Divination by observing the gait of horses.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient & Forbidden Knowledge 466: HIPPOMANCY: This was a form of divination from the stamping and neighing of horses.
1973 K. Ellis Prediction and Prophecy iii. 41: Hippomancy Divination by the neighing of sacred horses. Alternatively, by noting whether the horse left the temple right hoof first (lucky) or left hoof first (unlucky).
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. & Prophecy (1989) 318: HIPPOMANCY: Observation of the gait of horses during ceremonial processions, as a means of divination. Now outmoded, but some modern prognosticators apply similar systems at race tracks.
1973 L. Watson Supernature ix. 300: Precoginition means "knowing in advance," and systems of knowing cover just about every possible source of variation. They include..hippomancy (based on the stamping of horses)... None of these need be taken seriously...
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 136: HORSES (HIPPOMANCY) [heading]
1985 N. Drury Dict. Mysticism & Occult 118/2: Hippomancy. Form of divination, practiced among the Celts in which the gait of white horses was symbolically interpreted.
1986 F. Gettings Encyc. Occult
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x.
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies & -Isms (3rd ed.)
210: hippomancy a form of divination involving the
observation of horses, especially by listening to their neighing.
[1583 Weyer De praestigiis daemonum xii.: hydromanteia]
1594 Greene Frier Bacon & Frier Bongay (I. ii.
ll. 13-18): Burden. Bacon we hear, that long we have suspect,
That thou art read in Magicks mysterie;
In Piromancie to diuine by flames;
To tell by Hadromaticke, ebbes and tides;
By Aeromancie, to discouer doubts,
To plaine out questions, as Apollo did.
1594 R. Ashley tr. Loys le Roy's Interchang. Var. Things 50a (OED): Necromantie, Geomantie, Hydromantie.
1597 King James Daemonologie (1924) 14: Of this roote last spoken of [sc. astrology], springs innumerable branches; such as the knowledge of natiuities; the Chiromancie, Geomantie, Hydromantie, Arithmantie, Physiognomie: & a thousand others: which were much practiced, & holden in great reuerence by the Gentiles of olde.
1603 Christopher Heydon A Defence of Ivdiciall
Astrolgie 356: ..sure I am that it is altogether impertient, and his
iudgement quite out of tune, in comparing Astrologie with
Aruspicie, Hydromancie, Chiromancie,
Choschinomancy, and such like.
Ibid. 357. And as for
Hydromancie, and Choschinomancie, they could vanish as superfluous,
as were evident and ridiculous even to the ignorant.
1610 J. Healey Saint Augustine of the Citie of
God 293: For Numa him-selfe, being not instructed by any
Prophet or Angell or God, was faine to fall to (d)
Hydromancie: making his gods (or rather deuills) to appeare in
water, and instruct him in his religious institutions. Which kinde of
diuination saith Varro, came from Persia, and was vsed
by Numa, and afterwards by (b) Pythagoras, wherein
the vsed bloud also, and called forth spirits infernall,
Necromancie the greekes call it, but Necromancie or
Hydromancie, whether ye like, there it is that the dead seem to
speake.
Vives in Ibid. 294: Diuination generally was done by
diuers means..Hydromancy I haue kept vnto last: because it is
my theame: It is many-fold: done either in a glasse bottle full of water,
wherein a Childe must looke, (and this is called, Gastromancy
of the glasses belly) or in a basen of water, which is called
Lecanomancie, in which Strabo sayth the Asians are singular.
1620 J. Melton Astrologaster 69: If these apparitions appeare in the Water, then it is called Hydromancie. These I have heard are very incident to Catch-poles, Bum-baylies, and the like, when they are duckt under Water at high Tyde at one of the Temples.
1650 French tr. Paracelsus Nine Books Of the Nature of Things (1674) ix. 300: Hydromancy gives its Signs, by the Stars of the Water, by their overflowings, their scarcity, discolourings, commotions, new streams, and washings away of earthly things: in Magick and Necromancy by Nymphs, Visions and supernatural Monsters in the Waters and Sea.
1652 Gaule The Magastromancer xix. 165: ..Hydromancy, by water...
1656 R. Turner tr. Paracelsus Occult Philosophy 29: In this booke we do intend to treat of the greatest and most occult secrets of Philosophy, and of those things which do appertain to Magicke, Nigromancy, Necromancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, and Geomancy.
a1660 (1693) Urquhart tr. Rabelais Gargantua & Pantagruel iii. xxv. 133: Have you a mind (quoth Her Trippa) to have the truth of the matter yet more fully and amply disclosed unto you..by Hydromancy...
1777 Brand Popular Antiquities (1844) ii. 377: Very
anciently a species of hydromancy appears to have been practised at
wells.
Ibid. iii. 329: [citing Gaule]
1797 Encyc. Brit. (3rd ed.) VII 66: Hydromancy is the supposed art of divining by water. The Persians, according to Varro, invented it; Pythagoras and Numa Pompilius made use of it; and we still admire the like wonderful prognosticators.
1832 Hone Year Bk 1517/1: [citing Gaule (via Brand)]
1834 J.G. Dalyell Darker Superst. of Scotland 507: Common water, poured into a vessel, was believed to be adapted by conjurations, so that a demon of earthly form gave responses. After entering the water, an obscure sound issued from it; or on moving it, words faintly heard afforded the divination. Traces of similar hydromancy subsisted here. - Stones heated or boiled, and set apart for a period: then, from the sound emitted on immersion in water, it could be divined what was the nature of a spirit inflicting disease.
1853 Mackay Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions 251: Hydromancy, by water. [citing Hone citing Gaule]
1855 Henry Thompson in Smedley et al. Occult Sci. 296: Among the Arabs the science of prognostication (Ilmi firáset) or art of discovering secret objects by the interpretation of mysterious indications, known only to adepts, is subdivided into twelve branches: 1. Physiognomy, (firásah;) 2. Phantasmognomy, (khaïlatwa-shamát;) 3. Chiromancy, (ásásír;) 4. Onomancy, (aktáf;) 5. Ichnomancy, (iyáfah;) 6. Schematomancy, (kiyáfah;) 7. The art of discovering the road in a desert, (ihtidà bi 'l berárá wa'l acfár;) 8. Of finding springs, (riyáfah;) 9. Minerals; 10. The prognostication of storms, (nuzúli ghaïth;) 11. Hydromancy, (cráfah;) Spasmatomancy, (ikhtiláj.)
Edward Smedley in Ibid. 317: hydromancy. Divination by water, is said by Natalis Comes (ii. 6), to have been the invention of Nereus, and according to Delrio, a most respectable authority in these matters, it is a method of divination, than which nulla f§cundior imposturis. Jamblichus, he says, mentions one kind of hydromancy to which the Emperor Andronicus Comnenus had recourse; not in person, for regard for his character (a character richly demanding such caution!) forbade this humiliation; ipse quidem iis nocturnis sacris interesse noluit, metu famœ ut arbitror, sed illud Hagiochristophoritœ Stephano mandat. This worthy applied to Sethos, a diviner, who from his youth upward had been addicted to magic, and on that account had been deprived of sight by the Emperor Manuel. The question proposed by hydromancy was, who was to be the successor of Andronicus, a doubt which grievously perplexed the superstitious tyrant, and left him in hesitation as to the fittest victim whom his suspicious vengeance might first sacrifice. The evil spirit when summoned, showed upon the water the letters S I, and upon being asked at what time the person so designated should succeed, he replied, before the feast of the exaltation of the Cross. His prediction was verified, for, within the time named, Isaac Angelus had thrown Andronicus to be torn to pieces by the infuriated populace of Constantinople. It should be remembered here that the devil spells, as he repeats the Lord's Prayer, not in a natural order, but backwards. S I when inverted, would fairly enough represent Isaac according to all laws of magic. The same story is related with great spirit by Nicetas ('Andron. Comn.' II. 9). The arts with which the tempter cheats the ear of his votary are vividly displayed, and there is one very picturesque touch, when the fiend is asked respecting time, which we are surprised should have escaped Delrio, who evidently borrows from this source, though he refers to Jamblichus. The annalist has already remarked, that he neither knows, nor indeed wishes to know, the method of practising hydromancy, but Delrio, on the contrary, describes several kinds. In one, a ring was suspended by a thread in a vessel of water, and this being shaken, a judgement was formed according to the strokes of the ring against the side of the vessel. In a second, three pebbles were thrown into standing water, and observations were drawn from the circles they formed. A third depended upon the agitations of the sea; whence the learned Jesuit deduces a custom prevalent among the Oriental Christians of annually baptising that element... A fourth divination was taken from the colour of water, and certain figures appearing in it, which Varro (according to Apuleus in his 'Apologia') says afforded numerous prognostics of the event of the Mithridatic War. But this branch was of sufficient importance to deserve a separate name, and we read accordingly of &pgr;&agr;&lgr;&ogr;&mgr;&agr;&ngr;&tgr;&egr;&igr;&agr; [see note], divination by fountains, these being the waters most frequently consulted.
Elihu Rich in
Ibid. 319: Hydromancy is, in principle, the
same thing as divination by the crystal or mirror, and in ancient times a
natural basin of rock kept constantly full by a running stream, was a
favourite medium. The double meaning of the word reflection
ought here to be considered; and how, gazing down into clear water,
the mind is disposed to self-retirement and to contemplation, deeply
tinctured with melancholy.
1868 Chambers's Encyc. III 599: ..Hydromancy divination by water or by a mirror, in which the diviner shews the image of an absent person, what he is doing, &c. (this mode of divination plays an important part in the Arabian romances)...
1893 Howitt tr. Ennemoser Hist. of Magic ii. 457:
1895 A. Lanyard (ed.) John Maundevile Kt. xxii. 290: And at one Side of the Emperor's Table sit many Philosophers that be proved for wise Men in many diverse Sciences, as of Astronomy, Necromancy, Geomancy, Pyromancy, Hydromancy, of Augury and of many other Sciences.
1897 (Agrippa) Three Bks Occult Phil. lvii. 178: Now hydromancy doth perform its presages by the impressions of waters, their ebbing and flowing, their increases and depressions, their tempests, colors, and the like; to which, also, are added visions which are made in water.
1903 Daniels & Stevans Encyc. Occult Sci. (1971) III 1662: hydromancy - Divination by the images or other appearances caused to appear in water, as of a fountain. It was performed thus: Round vessels were filled with clear water, about which were placed lighted torches; they then invoked the demon, in a low, murmuring voice, and proposed the question to be solved. A chaste boy or a pregnant woman was appointed to observe with the greatest care and exactness all the alterations in the glasses, at the same time desiring, beseeching and also commanding an answer, which at length the demon used to return by images in the glasses, which by reflection from the water represented what should come to pass. There can be no doubt that Joseph had learnt this sort of divination from the Egyptians. It was his divining cup or bowl which was found in Benjamin's sack. "Is not this it (the bowl) in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth?" (Gen. XLIV 5.). Again when brought back, Joseph himself said to his brethren: "What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?" (Gen. XLIV 15). He evidently took it for granted that his brethren would believe he could ascertain by magic who had stolen the money and the cup.
1931 Lock tr. de Givry Picture Museum of
Sorcery (1963) viii. 301: Hydromancy - also known as
hydatoscopy, if he augury was drawn from the examination of rain-
water, or pegomancy, if spring-water is used - comprised of many
different experiments. Practitioners would dangle a ring from a thread
into still water, or would study the circles formed by three little stones
thrown into still water, or would throw a drop of oil into water and see
future events in it as in a mirror.
Ibid. 308: We still have to
consider, as a variant of hydromancy, the celebrated process of
divination by coffee-grounds. This was already in existence in the
eighteenth century, but naturally cannot have been anterior to the
introduction of this beverage into Europe. The treatise regarding the
process published by Tomaso Tomponelli gave reason for thinking that
it was first conceived in Italy. Our modern pythonesses all employ it;
they pour some coffee-dregs on a white unglazed plate, allow them to
settle, and then carefully drain off the water. The particles of coffee-
grounds left on the plate form a multitude of patterns which can be
interpreted in various ways...
1939 J. Trachtenberg Jewish Magic 219: Other methods, equally well known in Christian Europe, were to interpret the shapes assumed by drops of oil or melted wax floating on the surface of a basin of water, and to suspend a ring of pure gold over a goblet of water and divine by the sounds it makes as it strikes against the sides of the goblet (departments of Hydromancy).
1951 Works of Rabelais III. xxv. 360: Have you a mind, quoth Her Trippa, to have the truth of the matter yet more fully and amply disclosed unto you by..hydromancy, by lecanomancy, of old in prime request amongst the Assyrians, and thoroughly tried by Hermolaus Barbarus?
1959 Robbins Encyc. of Witchcraft and Demonology 139: [citing Gaule] Hydromancy, by water.
1970 Man, Myth & Magic v. 658: Hydromancy - by water.
1970 Zolar Encyc. of Ancient & Forbidden Knowledge 467: HYDROMANCY: Divination by water and covers a wide range of lesser auguries, such as the color of water, its ebb and flow, or the ripples produced by pebbles dropped into a pool, an odd number being good, an even number, bad. Our modern 'tea leaf' and 'coffee ground' readings date from this.
1973 K. Ellis Prediction and Prophecy iii. 41: Hydromancy. Divination by the noise or eddies of a river pouring over falls of rapids.
1973 Gibson Complete Illust. Bk Div. & Prophecy (1989) 318: HYDROMANCY: This relates to forms of divination with water, which naturally figures in other types of predictions involving various objects, which are therefore listed under separate heads. In some cases, however, water plays such an important part that they must be regarded as hydromancy despite the presence of those other factors. One method is to study the depths of a placid pool, noting any images or symbols that appear therein, interpreting them as seems most fit. This is similar to using a magic mirror (as with catoptromancy) or gazing into a crystal ball (as with chrystallomancy) but on a large scale. However, if results are slow, another type of hydromancy may be used; that of dropping three stones into the pool and noting any figures or other effects caused by the ripples. For best results, the first stone should be round, the second triangular, the third square. Diviners who used this method generally referred to special lists that told the proper interpretations to be given to various types of ripples. Another time-honored method was to invoke any evil spirit that dwelled in the neighborhood of a pool or stream. This demanded knowledge of cabalistic ceremonies, with all the danger accompanying such work, putting it into the realm of demonomancy. However, it still depended on hydromancy to a marked degree, since the demon's mode of answering questions was by inscribing words on the surface of the water. Often, these were visible to the seer alone, and they had to be read quickly while they lasted, as they were invariably written backward, to prove that they were the devil's work. Methods of hydromancy that were both simpler and safer included casting offerings, such as bread, into a pool. If they remained there, it was a good omen; if they drifted ashore before they sank, it boded ill. This may account for the still popular custom of throwing coins into a fountain for good luck, as they are sure to sink and stay there. Where names of persons are involved, the old way of picking one through hydromancy was to write each name on a separate stone and toss them all in a pool. Later, the stones were fished out and if all the names were washed off, or nearly so, with the exception of one, that name represented the person to whom the question pertained. A modern combination of these methods, which is simpler, easier and more convenient, is the Floating Slip.
1983 Complete Bk Predictions 148: Hydromancy..could involve drinking the water from sacred springs, which were said both to induce prophetic visions and to cause madness.
1985 N. Drury Dict. Mysticism & Occult
1985 G. Luck Arcana Mundi 254: Hydromancy, like many other methods of divination, seems to have originated in Babylonia and reached the Greco-Roman world via Egypt, in the first century b.c. or earlier.
1993 McCormack Q&A 70: HYDROMANCY - observing the tide.
1616 Bullokar An English Expositor s.v.
divination. The third and last manner of Diuination, is that which wee
called superstitious, whereof there hath among the Gentiles beene
diuers different kinds, namely Auguration..Hydromancy...
Ibid.: Hydromancie, is a diuination made by some apparition in
water, as Varro writeth, that a Boy saw in water, one bearing
the forme of Mercurie, who foretold in one hundred and fiftie
verses, the euents of the warre which the Romans had with King
Mithridates.
1626 Cockeram The English Dictionarie (2nd ed.):
Hydromancy, Diuination by calling damned spirits to appeare in the
water.
Ibid. (reverse dictionary): Diuination by calling hags to
appeare in the water, Hydromancy.
[1632 Cotgrave Dictionarie of French & Eng. Tongues: Hydromantie: f. Diuination by the obseruation of water, or by spirits appearing in it.]
1650 French Chymical Dictionary (1674): Hydromancy is an Art taken from the stars of the water, when they manifest themselves to men, as from unusual inundations, and the like.
1656 Blount Glossographia: s.v. divination. The
third and last manner of Divination is that which we call
Superstitious, whereof there has been among the Gentiles divers
different kinds. As namely..Hydromancy, by some apparition in
water.
Ibid.: Hydromantie (hydromantia)
divination by causing Spirits to appear in the water.
1658 Phillips New World of Eng. Words: Hydromancy...
1676 Coles An Eng. Dict.: Hydromancy, -tie, g. divination by water, or raising Spirits in the Water.
1727 Bailey The Universal Etym. Eng. Dict.: HYDROMANCY [hydromantia, L. of Ydromanteia of udor Water, and manteia, Divination, Gr.] a manner of divining or making Conjectures by Water, in which the Victims had been wash'd, and some Parts of them boiled; also a Divination by common Water, in which they observed the various Impressions, Changes, Fluxes, Refluxes, Swellings, Diminutions, Colours, Images, &c. of the Water: Sometimes they dipt a Looking Glass into the Water, when they desired to know what would become of a sick Person; for as he look'd well or ill in the Glass, accordingly they conjectured as to his future Condition: Sometimes they fill'd a Bowl with Water, and let dow into it a Ring, equally poised on both Sides, and hanging by a Thread tied to one of their Fingers; and then in a Form of Prayer, requested the Gods to declare or confirm the Question in Dispute; whereupon, if the Thing were true, the Ring of its own Accord would strike against the side of the Bowl a set Number of Times. Sometimes they threw Stones into the Water, and observed the Turns they made in sinking.
1740 Dyche & Pardon New General Eng. Dict.: hydromancy ...
1755 Bailey An Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. (16th ed.): HYDROMANCY [hidromancie, F. hydromantia, L. of udromanteia, of udor, and manteia, Divination, Gr.] Divination by Water.
1755 Johnson Dict. of the Eng. Lang. (1840): Hydromancy.. Prediction by water. Divination was invented by the Persians: there are four kinds of divination; hydromancy, pyromancy, aeromancy, and geomancy. Ayliffe.
1852 Roget Thes. § 511: ..by water, Hydromancy...
1871 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. i.: hydromancy..A method of divination..by water; invented, according to Varro, by the Persians, and practised by the Romans.
1882 Worcester Dict. of the Eng. Lang.: hydromancy..Among the ancients, a method of divination by water. Brande.
1888 New Sydenham Society's Lexicon III: 1899 Century Dict. (1903) IV: hydromancy.. Divination by some use or from some phenomenon of water.
1899 OED.
1909 Encyc. Dict. (Cassell's) IV
1912 Webs. New Int. Dict.: hydromancy [main words list]
c1920 Cassell's New Eng. Dict.: [marked obsolete]
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16: hydromancy, ydromancy, water (in many ways).
1961 Webs. Third New Int. Dict.: hydromancy
1974 Mrs. Byrne's Dict.: hydromancy..fortunetelling by observing the tide.
1981 Macquarie Dict. (1st ed.): hydromancy..divination by means of water.
1984 Macquarie Thes. § 268.6: hydromancy (water)
1986 Urdang (ed.) -Ologies & -Isms (3rd ed.) 210: hydromancy a form of divination involving observations of water or of other liquids.
1987 Random House Dict.
1988 Chambers Eng. Dict.
1955 Shipley Dict. Early Eng. (1963) 16:
hyomancy, the tongue bone; as the tongue wags.
1986 P. Hellweg Insomniac's Dict. x. 75: Hyomancy - the
tongue.