* Replace sprintf message with a constant message string -- this error
  message ran on every invocation except straight deletions but it was
  only needed when the rhs was not iterable.  The message was also
  out-of-date and did not reflect that iterable arguments were allowed.

* For inner loops that do not make ref count adjustments, use memmove()
  for fast copying and better readability.

* For inner loops that do make ref count adjustments, speed them up by
  factoring out the constant structure reference and using vitem[] instead.