  A homogeneous sample of 99 moderate resolution QSO spectra at z > 1.7 were
presented in Paper I, including 39 previously unpublished spectra from the
Multiple Mirror Telescope. The statistics of the Lyman alpha forest were
discussed. In this analysis, we demonstrate that a proximity effect is present
in the data, ie. there exists a significant (5.5$\sigma$) deficit of lines at
$z_{abs} \approx z_{em}$. Within 1.5 $h^{-1}$ Mpc of the QSO emission redshift,
the significance does depend on QSO luminosity, in accordance with the theory
that this effect is caused by enhanced ionization of hydrogen in the vicinity
of the QSO from UV photons from the QSO itself. The photoionization model of
Bajtlik, Duncan, and Ostriker (1988) permits an estimate of the mean intensity
of the extragalactic background radiation at the Lyman limit. We compare the
results of this standard analysis with those obtained using a maximum
likelihood technique. The best fit value for $J(\nu_{0})$ is
7.0$^{+3.4}_{-4.4}$ x 10$^{-22}$ ergs/s/cm$^{2}$/Hz/sr, over the redshift range
1.7 < z < 3.8, using QSO redshifts based on narrow emission lines. The best fit
value for the HI ionization rate is 1.9$^{+1.2}_{-1.0}$ x 10$^{-12}$ s$^{-1}$,
in good agreement with models of the background which incorporate QSOs only.
This large absorption line sample and these techniques for measuring the
background and understanding the systematics involved allow us to place what we
believe are are the firmest limits on the background at these redshifts.
