This paper aims to offer a general view of the studies devoted in Argentina and Chile to the literary genre called Natural History. With the emerging awareness of nationhood, a number of American and European authors, prompted by a desire for commercial expansion and scientific knowledge, began to describe the wildlife of the American territories. In undertaking this task they made use of classical literature, specially Pliny’s Naturalis Historia. One of the most influential authors in this reworking of classical methods and figures was Abbot Molina, whose work Compendio de la Historia Geográfica, Natural y Civil del Reyno de Chile is closely modelled on Pliny’s style.