Ghost of a flea

Most fascinating of all, local legends suggest that the "Hobbits" may have survived until modern times, at least until the 16th century, when Dutch traders arrived in the Spice Islands, and perhaps even more recently. "Until they found this creature they would have dismissed them as tales of leprechauns, but no longer," said Dr Henry Gee, the senior editor of the journal Nature who handled the "Hobbit" paper.