Help with verbals

[LTRMTY]

I’m struggling to understand the function of the ing form and the infinitive in the following sentence: It was a picture of a boa constrictor trying to swallow an animal.
I’m reasonably certain the ing form “trying” is an adjective, but can’t figure out if the infinitive “to swallow” is a noun or an adverb, and that’s if it is either of these at all.

[Alan]

Yes, as a participle 'trying' is naturally adjectival.

As regards the classification of the infinitive, since the verb 'try' is transitive, we would reckon the infinitive as nominal rather than adverbial in function.