Apantomancy

Apantomancy (from the Greek: ἀπαντάω, apantáō ["to encounter"] + μαντεία, manteia ["divination, soothsaying"]) is a method of divination conducted by the interpretation of any thing, for example an animal or object, that is randomly encountered by the diviner while performing the apantomantic operation.

Per The Popular Encyclopedia: or, Conversations Lexicon (London : Blackie, 1862): "The greatest minds have not been exempt from the superstitious feelings this produced, and Tycho Brahe is said to have regarded it as a bad omen if on coming out of his house he saw a hare or an old woman. In the same way there are still persons who fear to meet a crow, a black cat, or a white chicken; and there are others who, on the sight of one or more magpies, can hardly refrain from repeating the superstitious adage&mdash; one, joy; two, grief; three, a marriage; four, death."