Experiments have been performed to determine the natural-convection heat transfer characteristics of vertically oriented shrouded heat sinks (finned surfaces) of rectangular profile under uniform heat flux condition applied to the base. The size and configuration of the heat sink, the power dissipated, and the clearance gap between the shroud and the fin tips were varied during the experiments. The heat transfer medium was air. The temperatures were maintained below 150° during the experiments, which is the maximum allowable operation temperature for most silicon-based electronic components. It was found that shrouding, in general, significantly enhances heat transfer from the heat sinks. For a fixed heat flux and heat sink configuration, the maximum temperature on the heat sink dropped as the clearance was increased, attained a minimum, and then started to rise again. The effect of the shroud on 'the maximum temperature and the average Nusselt number is illustrated