DB<113> @array = (a =>1,b=>2)
 => ("a", 1, "b", 2)

  DB<114> while ( my ($key,$val) = splice(@array,0,2) ) {
           $hash{$key}=$val;
          }

  DB<115> \%hash
 => { a => 1, b => 2 }

  DB<116> \@array            # emptied! 
 => []