Thanks zwon. Here is code to get html alternative if it is available, text otherwise, in case anyone can use it.

Steve

use Mail::POP3Client;
use Email::MIME;
my $pop = new Mail::POP3Client( USER      => 'user@mail.com,
                                PASSWORD  => 'foobar',
                                AUTH_MODE => 'PASS',
                                HOST      => "mail.com"
);
for( my $i = 1; $i <= $pop->Count(); $i++ ) {
    my $message = $pop->HeadAndBody($i);
    my $parsed = Email::MIME->new($message);
    my ($body,$type) = getbody($parsed);
    # do something with body
}

sub getbody {
    my $parsedmessage = shift;
    my $body;
    my $bodytype;
    my @parts = $parsedmessage->parts;
    if ($messagetype =~ /^multipart\/alternative/) {
        # it's a plain alternative so get the html body in the second 
+part
        $body = $parts[1]->body;
        $bodytype = 'html';
    }
    elsif ($messagetype =~ /^multipart\/[mixed|related]/)  {
        # it's an alternative or related so check the first part
        my $subtype = $parts[0]->content_type;
        if ($subtype =~ /^multipart\/alternative/) {
            # it's an alternative with attachments so get the body fro
+m the
            # second subpart of the first part
            my @subparts = $parts[0]->parts;
            $body = $subparts[1]->body;
            $bodytype = 'html';               
        }
        else {
            # otherwise it's plain text with an attachment so get the 
+body
            # from the first part
            $body = $parts[0]->body;
            $bodytype = 'text';                
        }
    }
    else {
        # it's plain text with no attachments so get the body
        # from the first part
        $body = $parts[0]->body;
        $bodytype = 'text';             
    }
    return ($body,$bodytype);
}
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