 The field worker John Gilbert carefully recorded local names in the Southwest of Australia, derived from the Nyungar language, and this was later reported in Gould's "Mammals of Australia" (1863).The common name bam-be, in the vicinity of the Swan River Colony (Perth, Toodjay), and bar-ba-lon at King George Sound (vicinity of Albany) were given to "Nyctophilus" sp., however, these names would be likely applied to any of the several insectivorous bat species of the region.Colours can range from dark brown to dark gray on top, and the bats are light gray on the bottom.