Nearly right. In push @msgs, <$_> for values %kids; the diamond operator is evaluated in list context, giving you all messages. In print "<$_>\n"; the diamond is not evaluated inside double quotes. Instead, you get literal '<' followed by the interpolated $_, then literal '>'. $_ is a filehandle, a stringified ref to a typeglob is printed. You can do what I think you want with print "@{[<$_>]}\n"; or just print <$_>;

After Compline,
Zaxo