Animals in Middle-earth are generally intelligent
The spiders were intelligent. Bilbo (wearing the ring) was able to understand their speechthe spider's speech.
Their voices were a sort of thin creaking and hissing, but he could
make out many of the words that they said. They were talking about the
dwarves! "It was a sharp struggle, but worth it," said one. "What
nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I'll wager there is good
juice inside." "Aye, they'll make fine eating, when they've hung a
bit," said another. "Don't hang 'em too long," said a third. "They're
not as fat as they might be. Been feeding none too well of late, I
should guess." "Kill'em, I say," hissed a fourth; "kill 'em now and
hang 'em dead for a while." "They're dead now, I'll warrant," said the
first. "That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just
coming round again, I should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I'll show
you." With that one of the fat spiders ran along a rope, till it came
to a dozen bundles hanging in a row from a high branch.Their voices were a sort of thin creaking and hissing, but he could
make out many of the words that they said. They were talking about the
dwarves! "It was a sharp struggle, but worth it," said one. "What
nasty thick skins they have to be sure, but I'll wager there is good
juice inside." "Aye, they'll make fine eating, when they've hung a
bit," said another. "Don't hang 'em too long," said a third. "They're
not as fat as they might be. Been feeding none too well of late, I
should guess." "Kill'em, I say," hissed a fourth; "kill 'em now and
hang 'em dead for a while." "They're dead now, I'll warrant," said the
first. "That they are not. I saw one a-struggling just now. Just
coming round again, I should say, after a bee-autiful sleep. I'll show
you." With that one of the fat spiders ran along a rope, till it came
to a dozen bundles hanging in a row from a high branch.
The Hobbit - Chapter 8: Flies and Spiders
As are the eagles.The Lord of Eagles They spoke directlyto himself and a normal eagle spoke to Bilbo (without the ring on)
"What's all this uproar in the forest tonight?" said the Lord of the
Eagles. He was sitting, black in the moonlight, on the top of a lonely
pinnacle of rock at the eastern edge of the mountains. "I hear wolves'
voices! Are the goblins at mischief in the woods?""What's all this uproar in the forest tonight?" said the Lord of the
Eagles. He was sitting, black in the moonlight, on the top of a lonely
pinnacle of rock at the eastern edge of the mountains. "I hear wolves'
voices! Are the goblins at mischief in the woods?"
...
O no! Not a bit like storks-forks, I mean," said Bilbo sitting up and
looking anxiously at the eagle who was perched close by. He wondered
what other nonsense he had been saying, and if the eagle would think
it rude. You ought not to be rude to an eagle, when you are only the
size of a hobbit, and are up in his eyrie at night! The eagle only
sharpened his beak on a stone and trimmed his feathers and took no
notice. Soon another eagle flew up. "The Lord of the Eagles bids you
to bring your prisoners to the Great Shelf," he cried and was off
again.O no! Not a bit like storks-forks, I mean," said Bilbo sitting up and
looking anxiously at the eagle who was perched close by. He wondered
what other nonsense he had been saying, and if the eagle would think
it rude. You ought not to be rude to an eagle, when you are only the
size of a hobbit, and are up in his eyrie at night! The eagle only
sharpened his beak on a stone and trimmed his feathers and took no
notice. Soon another eagle flew up. "The Lord of the Eagles bids you
to bring your prisoners to the Great Shelf," he cried and was off
again.
The Hobbit - Chapter 6: Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire
Foxes
A fox passing through the wood on business of his own stopped several minutes and sniffed.
'Hobbits!' he thought. 'Well, what next? I have heard of strange doings in this land, but I have seldom heard of a hobbit sleeping out of doors under a tree. Three of them! There's something mighty queer behind this.' He was quite right, but he never found out any more about it.
The Fellowship of the Ring: Chapter 3 - Three is Company
Thrushes
He started-but it was only an old thrush. Unafraid it perched by his ear and it brought him news. Marvelling he found he could understand its tongue, for he was of the race of Dale. "Wait! Wait!" it said to him. "The moon is rising. Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies and turns above you!"
The Hobbit - Chapter 14: Fire and Water
