Absorption spectrum of mercury dissolved in hexane and heptane in the region 280-180 nm was found to consist of three bands. These bands were assigned to the ¹S₀ → ¹P₁ transition (A band, λ = 254 nm), to the ¹S₀ → ³P₂ transition (B band, λ = 226 nm) and to the ¹S₀ → ¹P₁ transition (C band, λ = 190 nm) of a mercury atom placed into a liquid cell. The B and C absorption bands of mercury in liquid solutions were observed for the first time. It was found that the A band and the C band have, respectively, distinct doublet and triplet structure, while the doublet structure of the B band is only slightly seen. The oscillator strengths of all three bands of mercury in solutions were estimated. The structure of the C, A and B bands of mercury in solutions most probably results from the removal of the degeneracy of the excited states ¹P₁, ³P₁ and ³P₂ of a mercury atom, placed into a cell of low symmetry.