Questions on Druids wildshape ability

[Lixeon]

My druid is coming up to lvl 4 and I wanted to make sure I understood wildshape so that I didn't make and mistakes.

First this is what I understand:
1. when you take on the shape of an animal you get to use its special abilities if it has them such as fly, climb, swim etc.

2. In order to cast spells while in wildshape I need to take the feat Natural Spell.

3. I lose access to my armor bonus. I assume its because the animal can't wear it. And also because everything I wear is melted into the new form I've chosen.

4. A Druids Vestment gives me the ability to wildshape an additional once per day.

Questions I have:
1. When I wildshape into an animal do I use my stats (str, dex, int etc.) or do I use the animals I've changed into. I am curious because I know depending on what size of animal I change into I get plus's and minus's to stats and I'm not sure whos to use.

2. What is the best way to communicate with the party while in wildshape form. I know there is a speak with animal spell. But was wondering if there was an artifact or something that could allow them to understand me.

3. How does flying work with wildshape when I'm in the air such as in eagle form or in the earth such as when I take on the form of an earth elemental.

I forgot to mention that my Druid is mainly a spell caster. He isn't the type to change into a shape and go rampaging the enemy. But he will defend his friends. So he will use his wildshape to give him the best distance and placement for his spells.

Thanks for the help. Sorry this was so long.

[My Self]

Wildshaping works like beast shape. That means that you alter your own stats depending on size instead of using the animal's actual stats. Your mental stats will remain the same. Also, you don't get all the animal's abilities, only a certain level of them based on beast shape. The lowest level beast shape won't give you a flight speed faster than 30 ft, though if you have some faster sort of fly spell active, that will supersede your beast shape fly speed.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

1) You need to look at the Beast Shape I spell and see what it gives you. You use your stats adjusted according to the size of creature you shape into, and you only get the special abilities listed in the spell.

2) Ways to communicate include working out a code before hand, such as tapping on a surface or grunting. There is a Wild Speech feat as well, in Ultimate Magic. Edit: almost forgot the Ring of Eloquence which is probably a better option than the feat.

3) At level 4, your Druid's Wild Shape functions as Beast Shape I, so if you shape into a form with flight, you get 30ft flight speed with average maneuverability. You also get a bonus to flight if your size is small or smaller. When you're high enough level to Wild Shape into an elemental, you get the movement forms associated with that elemental form, as per the spell Elemental Body.