#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use strict;

my %HoH = (
   flintstones => {
      lead => "fred",
      pal => "barney",
   },
   jetsons => {
      lead => "george",
      wife => "jane",
      "his boy" => "elroy",
   },
);

my $href1 = \%{$HoH{flintstones}};
my $href2 = $HoH{flintstones};
my $href3 = \%HoH;

print "\$HoH{flintstones}: $HoH{flintstones}\n\$href1: $href1\n\$href2: $href2\n\$href3->{flintstones}: ",$href3->{flintstones},"\n";

#Works
delete($HoH{flintstones});
#delete($href3->{flintstones});

#Fails
#delete($href1);
#delete($href2);


##</code><code>##

$ ./hashreftest2.pl 
$HoH{flintstones}: HASH(0x7ce220)
$href1: HASH(0x7ce220)
$href2: HASH(0x7ce220)
$href3->{flintstones}: HASH(0x7ce220)