Chalaza. The first layer of albumen deposited upon the yolk of an egg as it descends the bird's oviduct, is peculiarly viscous, and thus becomes twisted into two strands which keep the yolk in the middle of the more fluid albumen. These cords are also called chalaza.
Chalaza
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 3: Catarrh to Dion, p. 84
Source scan(s): p. 0093