DIVINATION by the flight, singing, or eating of Birds, is sufficiently known; I cannot tell however whether it were in use among the Hebrews. See above the Article AUGUR.
Plin. l. 5. c. 17.It appears that formerly they drew omens from Serpents. The Hebrew word Nachash, נחשSerpens. Item augurari, conjectare.which is frequently taken for Divining, and drawing Omens, signifies likewise a Serpent. Bochart has collected some examples of Divination Bochart. Hierozoïc. l. 1. c. 3. part. 1.by the way of Serpents. The Egyptians had Serpents which they called good Demons, or good Genii. Ægyptios dracunculos Lamprid. in Elagabalo.Roma habuit, quos illi agatho-dæmones vocant. Nothing is more common than to see Serpents in Abraxas’s, which, as we know, were Talismans, magical Figures.