my @array = (2, 4, 6, 8);

my $first = shift @array;
# $first is 2
# @array is (4, 6, 8)

my $second = shift @array;
# $second is 4
# @array is (6, 8)
# $array[0] is 6
# $array[1] is 8

##</code><code>##

my ($first) = (2, 4, 6, 8);
my ($first, $second) = (2, 4, 6, 8);

# an array on the LHS will "eat up" all remaining elements:
my ($first, $second, @remaining) = (2, 4, 6, 8);

# undef can be used to "skip" elements you don't want to assign
# to anything:
my (undef, undef, $third) = (2, 4, 6, 8);