CAVANILLES

cavanilles, antonio jose (1745-1804), spanish botanist, was born at valencia on the 16th of january 1745. he was educated at the university of that town, and in 1777 went to paris, where he resided twelve years, engaged in the study of botany. in 1801 he became director of the botanic gardens at madrid, where he died on the 4th of may 1804. in 1785-1786 he published _monadelphiae classis dissertationes x._, and in 1791 he began to issue _icones et descriptiones plantarum hispaniae_. his nephew, antonio cavanilles (1805-1864), was a distinguished advocate, and the author of a history of spain, published at madrid in 1860-1864. cavatina (ital. diminutive of _cavata_, the producing of tone from an instrument, plural _cavatine_), originally a short song of simple character, without a second strain or any repetition of the air. it is now frequently applied to a simple melodious air, as distinguished from a brilliant aria, recitative, &c., and often forms part of a large movement or _scena_ in oratorio or opera.