We report the first measurement of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon cation electronic transition in the ultraviolet spectral region. The UV excitation spectrum of the D-n-XD0 transition of the perylene cation (C20H12+) isolated in an argon matrix was pumped with tunable, coherent radiation and monitored using the vibronic bands of the D-1(B-2(3g)) --> ((2)A(u))D-0 system. The two component band peaks at 244 and 250.2 nm, close to the S-2(B-1(3u)) <-- ((1)A(g))S-0 transition in neutral perylene. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9606(99)02226-6].