In "Words for Birds", by Edward S. Gruson

Aythya - From the Greek 'aithuia', a water-bird mentioned in the "Odyssey"
and in Aristotle's "Natural History". Coues lost a series of running
battles with the A.O.U. over both the genus and the work. He first fought
valiantly but unsuccessfully to prevent the establishment of the genus.
Then gracefully accepting the defeat, he argued against "violating plain
rules of transliteration from the Greek to the Latin" and opted for
"Aethyia", but lost again.